The overall unemployment rate in Latvia reached 10.7 percent in March, rising 1.2 percentage points from February, the State Employment Agency (Nodarbinātības valsts aģentūrā) announced April 7.

February’s unemployment rate was 9.5 percent.

The number of unemployed workers in Latvia reached 103,731 in March, the agency reported. White collar workers were among those increasingly joining the ranks of the unemployed.

“In March the largest number of unemployed had professional (38.4 percent) and general secondary education (28.5 percent),” said Baiba Paševica, director of the State Employment Agency. “Among the jobless with higher education the greatest number are engineers, economists, teachers, lawyers and technologists.”

The Rēzekne region, often one of the hardest hit in terms of joblessness, recorded the highest unemployment rate in Latvia, 23.1 percent. Other areas with high unemployment, according to the agency, were Ludza region, 19 percent; Rēzekne city, 17.8 percent; Balvi region, 17 percent; Dobele region, 16.7 percent; Preiļi region, 16.5 percent; Krāslava region, 15.3 percent; Kuldīga region, 14.2 percent; Aizkraukle region, 13.7 percent; Jēkabpils region, 13.5 percent; Liepāja city, 13 percent; and Liepāja region, 12.9 percent.

The lowest unemployment figures in March were recorded in the Tukums region, 7.1 percent; Rīga city, 8.2 percent; Jūrmala city, 8.4 percent; Daugavpils city, 9.2 percent; Jelgava city, 9.6 percent; Ventspils region, 9.7 percent, Talsi region, 10.1 percent; Valmiera region, 10.1 percent; Ventspils city, 10.2 percent; Jelgava region, 10.3; and Limbaži region, 10.5 percent.

Of those who were without work in March, 26.5 percent were between 45 and 54 years old, 22.7 percent were 25-34 and 22.2 percent were 35-44.

In April and May 2008, the unemployment rate in Latvia bottomed out at 4.8 percent.

Latvian citizens abroad who wish to vote in the June 6 election for the European Parliament have until April 25 to apply for an absentee ballot at embassies or consulates, according to the Central Election Commission in Rīga.

Those abroad may also submit absentee ballot applications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rīga until May 7.

No voting precincts will operate abroad on election day, said Kristīne Bērziņa, spokesperson for the Central Election Commission. Those citizens who are abroad may only vote by mail.

All 27 member states of the European Union will be voting for members of the European Parliament. Latvia will elect eight members.

In all, 17 political parties in Latvia are fielding a total of 186 candidates, according to the Central Election Commission. Parties include:

• New Era (Jaunais laiks)
• Civil Union (Pilsoniskā savienība)
• For Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK (Tēvzemei un Brīvībai / LNNK)
• Union of Greens and Farmers (Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība)
• Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā strādnieku partija)
• Society for Political Change (Sabiedrība citai politikai)
• People’s Party (Tautas partija)
• For the Homeland! (Par dzimteni!)
• Latvian Revival Party (Latvijas Atdzimšanas partija)
• First Party of Latvia / Latvia’s Way (Latvijas Pirmā partija / Latvijas ceļš)
• Harmony Centre (Saskaņas Centrs)
• The pan-European party Libertas.lv
• Action Party (Rīcības partija)
• For Human Rights in United Latvia (Par cilvēka tiesībām vienotā Latvijā)
• Christian Democratic Union (Kristīgi demokrātiskā savienība)
• The Liepāja-based Osipov Party (Osipova partija) led by Jevgēņijs Osipovs
• All for Latvia (Visu Latvijai).

A complete list of the 45 embassies and consulates that will accept absentee ballot applications until April 25 is available online from the Central Election Commission.

In Australia, the applications will be accepted at the honorary consulates in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, according to a March 30 ruling by the commission. In Canada, applications should be sent to the Latvian Embasssy in Ottawa. In the United States, applications go to the embassy in Washington, D.C. In Ireland, applications may be sent to the embassy in Dublin. In the United Kingdom, applications may be mailed to the embassy in London.

Absentee ballot applications also will be accepted until May 7 by mail at the following address: LR Ārlietu ministrijas Konsulārais departaments, Elizabetes iela 57, Rīga, LV 1050, Latvia.

Municipal elections also are scheduled across Latvia on June 6, but citizens living abroad are not allowed to participate in those. Latvian citizens living in other European Union member states may vote for European Parliament candidates from those countries, but by doing so they lose the right to vote for candidates from Latvia.