Responding to questions from the press, he said the first of those measures envisaged that the employer who employed young people registered with the Employment Service, or those without work for a long time, would be exempt from paying contributions to their wages.

The second measure envisages expanding the career spectrum so that young people registered with the Employment Service can get one year's working experience to be able to apply for a job.

The third measure envisages bringing order into seasonal employment in agriculture through a voucher system, Mrsic said, adding that vouchers were better than contracts, as they would enable such people to work for more employers, protect them from accidents at work, get paid, and exercise their right to pension insurance.

The minister said the only way to prevent undeclared work was by creating jobs and through tougher state control.

Asked about the jobless above the age of 50, he said the first measure applied to them as well, adding that the government envisaged new measures to enable such people to change their careers. He said such people accounted for 18 per cent of the unemployed.

Responding to questions from the press, the minister said he expected the first positive results in a year's time.

When the economy gets going towards the end of the year, it will take at least six months for employers to start creating jobs, he said.

Speaking of public service work, Mrsic said it had already begun as one of the measures of the active employment policy, covering public utility projects and help in homes for the elderly, hospitals, kindergartens and schools. He added that this was paid work and not volunteering.