"The government didn't and won't hide any information, including that on the number of the unemployed," she said at a government session.

Kosor saw no reason why anyone would think that the government could benefit from hiding such figures, saying that would be stupid at the very least.

The inner cabinet, too, discussed the unemployment figures and agreed that ministers in charge of economy-related affairs would talk with Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) leaders to once again analyse the figures and the measures being undertaken.

Kosor presented data obtained from the HZZ on the structure of those registered with the HZZ in January, when the number of laid off people who reported to the HZZ was down 16.4 per cent on the year.

At the same time, the number of unemployed people who reported to the HZZ went up 43.6 per cent on the year, which the HZZ explains with the need to obtain certificates for child's allowance, tax returns, social benefits and the upcoming population census, said the PM.

Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic said there were about 18 benefits, particularly social ones, that the unemployed could exercise only by producing a certificate from the HZZ, from child's allowance to free public transport in Zagreb.

He said the HZZ was recording the absolute number of the jobless, whereas the EU was recording survey-based unemployment rates, adding that Croatia's survey-based unemployment was some 12 per cent, about the EU average.

Cobankovic said fighting unemployment and boosting the economy and economic growth remained government priorities.

Economy Minister Djuro Popijac said the whole world and the EU followed survey-based unemployment, adding that the 30 per cent difference between survey-based and registered unemployment was due to a great extent to undeclared work and people registering with the HZZ only to obtain various welfare benefits.

Finance Minister Martina Dalic said this was not the first time Croatia was faced with so many jobless people. She added that their number would start falling in April, due to the strong impact of tourist season employment.

The permanent fall in the number of the jobless will result from economic recovery, said Dalic.

Kosor said there must be no let-up in the implementation of the economic recovery programme, recalling there were some 330,000 unemployed people in 2003 as well, when there was no economic crisis.

Health Minister Darko Milinovic stressed that dealing with unemployment was a government priority and that the figure of 334,378 jobless people was not real.

The government ministers were met outside the Cabinet building by three citizens with banners saying "334,378 reasons to resign" and "Are we the only ones who have had it with the HDZ's plunder and tyranny?"

"They are insulting us on a daily basis when they lie or don't tell us the truth. They say the wrong numbers when they don't know how much something costs and it is high time they gave us well-reasoned answers to concrete questions," said protestor Mirjana Buric.

"People are living in debt bondage. Loan instalments have jumped 50 per cent. Five hundred people are laid off every day, while they are talking about the EU and always find a reason why it can't be better, yet they don't want to find a way to make it better," said protestor Ivan Pernar.

Kosor received the protesters after the government session.