The government is considering a possibility of doing away with some public holidays, which are observed as bank holidays, and turning them into memorial days which will be treated as working days.
The media are speculating that the economic crisis and plans to enhance productivity have prompted the government to consider a possibility of turning Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (22 June), Statehood Day (25 June) and Corpus Christi, which is observed on the ninth Thursday after Easter, into memorial days, which are working days.
Finance Minister Slavko Linic said that this would certainly produce economic effects "having more work hours for the same or even a lower price". This also means better productivity, he told reporters before entering the Cabinet building for a meeting on Thursday.
"This is something probably for a public debate and we will see what the government's proposal will be," Linic said, confirming that the projections of possible savings had been made.
Science and Education Minister Zeljko Jovanovic also confirmed that there had been proposals for reducing the number of nonworking holidays but that the proposals had not yet been discussed.
"There are too many holidays in Croatia and I think it would be good to discuss that topic," Jovanovic said.
