Poland's unemployment rate is likely to reach 14% in January 2013, rise further in February and start declining in March-April, deputy Labor Minister Jacek Mecina told radio audience Thursday morning.

"We may achieve the level of 14% in January," Mecina said on radio PIN.

"The prospects for January, February will not be good," the minister said. "In February (...) the increase [of the unemployment rate] will be lower and starting March, April we will have a seasonal decline."
Poland's December joblessness rate amounted to 13.4%.