The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday, February 15, a draft law making January 6 and 7 (the feast days of the Epiphany and Saint John the Baptist) non-working public holidays.

The bill was initiated by Social Democrat (PSD) leader Marcel Ciolacu and the leader of the PSD deputies, Alfred Simonis, according to News.ro. They reportedly said that in Romania, according to the official data provided by the 2011 census, over 16.3 million citizens are Orthodox Christians, representing 86.45% of the total declared population of the country.

The project passed both chambers of the Parliament and will now go to the president for promulgation. If signed into law by the president, these days off will be added starting in 2024.

There were three public holidays in Romania this January - the first two days of the year (January 1 and 2) and the Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities (January 24). The next legal days off in 2023 will be April 14 (Friday) - Good Friday and April 16-17 (Sunday and Monday) - the first and second days of Orthodox Easter.

In total, there are 15 public holidays in Romania in 2023.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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