The Department of Information has published the official list of public holidays in Malta next year. Only two fall on weekends, and there are seven long weekends.
The General Workers' Union in August had appealed to the government to give workers back all public holidays which fell on a weekend, a measure that had been removed in the previous legislature.
GWU general secretary Josef Bugeja said the removal of public holidays falling on weekends from workers’ vacation leave was only meant to be a “temporary” measure.
These holidays should be given back to workers, Mr Bugeja argued, even if the measure was introduced in a gradual manner.
Next year's public holidays are:
Sunday 1st January New Year's Day
Friday 10th February Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck
Sunday 19th March Feast of St. Joseph
Friday 31st March* Freedom Day
Friday 14th April Good Friday
Monday 1st May Worker's Day
Wednesday 7th June * Sette Giugno
Thursday 29th June Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul
Tuesday 15th August Feast of the Assumption
Friday 8th September * Feast of Our Lady of Victories
Thursday 21st September * Independence Day
Friday 8th December Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Wednesday 13th December * Republic Day
Monday 25th December Christmas Day