1.237 new enterprises were registered in the country, whereas 45 existing have been closed. Most of the newly created enterprises are sale and wholesale, car repair facilities, grocery and cloth stores, the state statistical committee chairman, Arif Veliev said at the press- conference. 193 new enterprises have been created in the construction sector, 131- in real estate, 108- in communal services and 117 in industrial sector.
18 enterprises in real estate business, 14 in trade and wholesale businesses and so on have been liquidated. However, about 5.000-6.000 new businesses are expected to come to life this year, Veliev forecasts. There are 71. 476 registered businesses in Azerbaijan now, this is in 1, 7% more than in the previous year.
30-40.000 new jobs are annually created in the country; 51-52% of them are long term jobs. 440-450.000 new jobs will be created by the end of this year- 235.000 of them permanent. Creation of new jobs is decreasing the number of unemployed, the chairman believes. If in 1999 there was 551.000 unemployed in 2003 their number reduced to 400.000. There are 300.000 unemployed currently in the country.