The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection suggested that March 9, April 30, December 24 and December 31, 2018 should be nonworking days, while the Saturdays of March 3, April 21, December 15 and December 22, 2018 should be working days instead. The provisions are contained in a draft decision that was proposed for public debates, IPN reports.

The move is aimed at optimizing the working time and free time. It is proposed that budget-funded employees should have a mini-vacation of four days – from March 8, which is a nonworking day, together with March 9, which falls on a Friday and should be a nonworking day, together with Saturday and Sunday.

Another 14 days are holidays and no one will work on other days instead of these. These are: January 1 – next day after New Year’s, January 7 and 8 – Christmas according to the old calendar, March 8 – International Women’s Day, April 8 and 9 – Eastertime, April 15 and 16 – Low Sunday, May 1 – Labor Day, May 9 – Victory Day, Europe Day, June 1 – Children’s Day, August 27 – Independence Day, August 31 – Our Language Day and December 25 – Christmas according to the new calendar.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection suggested a draft decision stipulating that December 31 and January 2 should be declared nonworking days, while March 8 and May 1 should be declared working days. The draft was withdrawn following negative reactions.