(ANSAmed) - LJUBLJANA, APRIL 30 - The austerity measures
proposed by the new centre-right government in Ljubljana to
reduce the deficit and stabilise Slovenia's public finances
calls for two holidays inherited from the Socialist era to be
done away with.
In order to ''increase GDP which has been seen to be stagnant or
in decline over the past three years,'' said the government,
''it will be necessary to do away with the holidays of January 2
and May 2.'' Up until now two days of holiday have long been
observed for January 1 and May 1.
The government proposal, under discussion in the parliament
alongside many other austerity measures, has given rise to
bitter debate. Those in favour of eliminating the holidays say
that it is a remnant of the Socialist period, when it was a
custom to have many holidays. However, since the latter did not
include religious holidays - such as Christmas and Easter - the
total number of days not worked were not excessive.
Unions (which strongly oppose any reduction in holidays) say
that ''Slovenian workers are exhausted and work more than the EU
average''. They claim that ''30% of Slovenians work up to 70
hours per week, and put in 12 million hours of overtime every
year - a good portion of which are not paid.''
If the proposal is approved, it will come into force beginning
in 2013, and so this year Slovenians will continue to have a day
off on May 2. (ANSAmed).
