Recessions claimed about 350,000 jobs, says economy ministry

(ANSA) - Rome, March 26 - About 350,000 Italians lost their jobs, more people became self-employed, and the gap between rich and poor widened dramatically as a result of Italy's double-dip recession, the economy ministry said Wednesday.
    In a report examining income statements between 2008 and 2012, the ministry said that tax declarations revealed that the number of self-employed grew by 128,000 during the four-year period.
    Over the same time, 350,000 workers lost their jobs, while 190,000 fewer people were drawing retirement income.
    Italy endured two recessions during that period, the second dip the worst since the Second World War.
    But 2008 was also a difficult time in the Italian economy, which recorded three quarters of losses, after reporting a gain of 0.5% in gross domestic product (GDP) in the January through March 2008 period, according to national statistical agency Istat. The subsequent recession that began in the fourth quarter of 2011 and continued through to 2013 led to a GDP loss of 1.9% last year.
    The economy ministry found that in 2012, half of taxpayers during this period declared annual income of less than 15,654 euros, while the average annual income reached 19,750 euros.
    That suggests a strong divide between the rich and poor in Italy, with about 5% of taxpayers reporting 22.7% of total income, said the ministry.