"Unemployment is one of the major challenges that every Kosovo government faces. Today, the unemployment level reaches the staggering figure of 39-48 %, depending on the source. With only 25 % of the population of working age in employment, Kosovo has the lowest employment rate in Europe. The public sector remains the highest employment agency, providing work for more than 70 000 people. The number of registered private firms continues to increase but the informal sector remains very strong, accounting for around 30 % of businesses. A social assistance programme does exist but, due to the tight fiscal space, it has low coverage and more than 60 % of the poor are out of reach. Some 30 000 people join the labour market annually, but those who reach retirement age are much fewer. With such an increasing number of job seekers, and with few work opportunities, the government should seriously think about more efficient active and passive employment policies in which a review of its employment strategy is a key starting point. "

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