DUSHANBE, June 2, 2011, Asia-Plus -- 30,000-35,000 new jobs have been created in Tajikistan annually over the past five-six years, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov remarked yesterday, while presenting a bill requiring amendments to the country’s law on assistance to employment.

He noted that under the amendments made to the law, people with disabilities who received allowances would be recognized as jobless “because under the country’s legislation, they have the right to work.”

“The government institutions are obligated to provide quotas for employing people with disabilities,” the minister noted.

According to him, some 5,000 jobless in the country now receive unemployment benefits.  “Under the amendments proposed to the law, if unemployed person refuses job offers twice, he will be deprived of the right to receive unemployment benefit,” Mahmadaminov said.

The Majlisi Namoyandagon yesterday also ratified an agreement between Tajikistan and Austria on encouragement and mutual protection of investments and an agreement between the CIS nations on the procedure of financial, technical and logistical provision for the CIS collective peacekeeping force.