BRATISLAVA (SITA) In Slovakia 20 unemployed apply for each vacancy, and the unemployment rate was to 13.44 percent on January 31, the National Job Office informed SITA. The unemployment rate was 12.48 percent at the end of December. Job offices reported 18,299 vacancies at the end of January, down 1,019 jobs compared with December 1997. The absolute number of the registered jobless increased by 24,747 people at the end of January compared with December. At the end of January district job offices registered 372,500 unemployed, up 18,895 people compared with January 1997. The Rimavska Sobota district reports the highest unemployment rate of 27.06 percent followed by the Vranov nad Topľou district with 25.72 percent unemployment and the Revúca district with 24.95 percent. Bratislava's 3rd district (3.02 percent), 4th district (3.02 percent) 5th district (3.19 percent) reported the lowest unemployment rate. The number of unemployed receiving unemployment benefits increased by 19,941 people to 112,855.