Speaking to reporters after the cabinet session, the minister said that more than 24,000 employees were still on furlough, which meant that some sectors were not yet showing signs of recovery or recovery was not strong enough for all employees to return to work.

Under the fourth stimulus package, passed by parliament earlier this month, the furlough scheme was extended until the end of July, while giving the government the option of extending it two more times by decree, but not beyond the end of September.

Under the first two stimulus packages, more than 275,000 employees had been on furlough until the end of May. Under the third package, which extended the scheme until the end of June, 65,000 people were on subsidised furlough, the minister said.

The Employment Service had paid employers a total of EUR 242.5 million in subsidises for furloughed workers and those prevented from doing their job by a force majeure until 10 July, a press release from the government said.

The minister believes the government's job retention measures have been successful with the country's registered unemployment total falling below 90,000 in June. There are currently 89,300 people out of a job.

The minister also hailed an increase in job vacancies, which he indicated could be similar to the figure in July 2019.

The furlough scheme formed the core of the first stimulus package, passed in early April. It has since been extended.

Furloughed workers get 80% of their pay, of which 80% is covered by the state and 20% by the employer, but not more than the highest unemployment benefit, at EUR 892.50 a month.