Azernews.Az

The minimum wage and social allowances will be raised in Azerbaijan since January 1, President Ilham Aliyev has pledged.
Addressing the public after inaugurating a diagnostics center in the southeastern Ali-Bayramly district, Aliyev said another increase was in store for the second half of the year.
As of October 1, 2007, 1,204,400 pensioners, or about 30% of the employed citizens, were registered by the State Fund for Social Security. Average pensions rose 62% in comparison with the same date of 2006 to reach 59 manats ($70).
President Aliyev said the state budget has increased 10 times in the past five years, with the figure to reach $12 billion in 2008. "This is happening due to the liberalization of the Azerbaijani economy."
Aliyev said the government has been working hard in recent years to eliminate unemployment and reduce poverty. These efforts will be continued next year to further bring the poverty rate down. The poverty level in the country is 20%, according to official sources.
The president said 600,000 jobs have been opened in the past four years, including 459,000 permanent positions, which is above the projection. "We have thus ensured the implementation of a five-year program within just four years."