Turkish unemployment seen at 9.3 percent in second quarter of 2004

ANKARA, Sept 30 (AFP) - The unemployment rate in EU-hopeful Turkey is expected to be 9.3 percent in the second quarter of 2004, down from 10 percent in the same period last year, the State Statistics Institute (DIE) reported Thursday.
The number of jobless in the second quarter stood at 2,269 million, compared with 2.418 million in the same period last year was, the DIE said.
Unemployment in first quarter this year was at 12.4 percent, up from 10 percent for the same period in 2003, it said
Unemployment in Turkey stood at 10.5 percent in 2003, 10.6 percent in 2002 and 8.5 percent in 2001, according to DIE figures.
In order to determine the country's unemployment rate, the institute surveys a number of households in different regions of Turkey and uses the results to make a nationwide projection based on the 2000 census results.
The survey uses International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards.
It is the only available data in Turkey on unemployment, but observers warn that the figures do not reflect the real picture when it comes to undeclared or hidden unemployment since many educated, qualified people are employed in menial, unqualified jobs.
Turkey is emerging from its worst recession since World War II, brought on by two severe financial crises in 2001 that sent the country scrambling for a 16-billion-dollar stand-by deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF deal is set to end in February 2005 and Turkish officials are currently engaged in talks with the Fund for a new stand-by deal.