Ukraine Public Holidays June 28-29

Sources: Кабінет Міністрів України (Kiev) and Ukraine bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Cabinet of Ministers of the Ukraine has issued a resolution declaring Friday, June 29, 2012, as another non-working public holiday to link the annual Constitution Day public holiday with the following weekend. [full story]

Canada's BC Family Day Public Holiday Changed

Sources: The Globe and Mail (Toronto) and Canada bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Premier of Canada's Province of British Columbia, Christy Clark, has finally announced that contrary to earlier announcements, Monday, February 11, 2013, would be the first occurrence of the promised new, Family Day, annual public holiday in British Columbia. [full story]

Nicaraguan Public Holiday May 30

Sources: Ministerio del Trabajo de Nicaragua (MITRAB) and Nicaragua bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Nicaragua's Council for Communication and Citizenship (Consejo de Comunicación y Ciudadanía), at the request of President, Daniel Ortega, has announced that Wednesday, May 30, 2012, would be a one-off non-working public sector holiday in Nicaragua to mark Nicaragua's Mothers' Day. [full story]

Western Australia 2014-2015 Public Holidays Proclaimed

Sources: Western Australia Department of Labour Relations and Commerce (Perth) and Australian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Government of the Australian state of Western Australia has proclaimed the dates of the Queen's Birthday public holiday for the calendar years 2014 and 2015, in the State of Western Australia. [full story]

Spain 2013 Extremadura Public Holidays Announced

Sources: Diario Oficial de Extremadura (DOE) and Spain bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Consejo de Gobierno de la Junta de Extremadura of Spain's Autonomous Region of Extremadura has published the list of regional public holidays (calendario laboral) for the calendar year 2013 in Extremadura. [full story]

Indonesia May 1st Public Holiday Gains Support

Sources: The Jakarta Post (ANTARA) and Indonesian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Indonesia's Manpower and Transmigration Minister, Muhaimin Iskandar, confirmed that he had asked the President of Indonesia to declare May 1st as a new annual national holiday in Indonesia. [full story]

Argentina Votes February 3 Public Holiday

Sources: Parlamentario (Buenos Aires) and Argentina bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Argentina's lower house of Congress (Cámara de Diputados) has approved a recent bill to declare a one-off non-working public holiday in Argentina on February 3, 2013, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of San Lorenzo. [full story]

Philippines Votes 6 Public Holidays Bills

Sources: Philippine Information Agency (Manila) and Philippines bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Philippines House of Representatives has passed, on third and final reading, 102 national and local bills, including six bills on public holidays. [full story]

Vanuatu Public Holiday October 30

Sources: Vanuatu Daily Post (Port Vila) and Vanuatu bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The chairman Vanuatu's electoral commission, John Taleo, has confirmed that Vanuatu’s upcoming general election will be held on Tuesday, October 30, 2012, and that the date had been approved as a one-off non-working public holiday in Vanuatu. [full story]

Egyptian Public Holiday May 24

Sources: الهيئة العامة للأستعلامات (Cairo) and Egyptian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has announced that the date of the upcoming presidential election, Thursday, May 24, 2012, would be a non-working public holiday in Egypt. [full story]

Spain 2013 Mid-Week Public Holidays Changes

Sources: Consejo de Gobierno de la Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid) and Spain bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Consejo de Educación y Empleo de la Comunidad de Madrid has announced that the yet-to-be-released Calendario Laboral lising the 2013 non-working public holidays in Spain's Autonomous Comunidad de Madrid would involve the moving of some mi-week public holidays to an adjoining weekend to avoid bridge public holidays (puentes and acueductos). [full story]

Afghanistan Votes New National Holiday

Sources: آژانس خبرى پژواك (Kabul) and Afghanistan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Afghanistan's Parliament has voted to make September 9 a new annual national holiday to honour Ahmad Shah Massoud who was assassinated on September 9 2001, two days before the 9/11 attacks on the US. [full story]

Venezuela Bank Holidays May 21 and June 11

Sources: Asociación Bancaria de Venezuela (Caracas) and Venezuela bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Bankers' Association of Venezuela (Asociación Bancaria de Venezuela) has announced that Monday, May 21, and Monday, June 11, 2012, would be bank holidays in Venezuela. [full story]

Ghana Public Holiday May 25

Sources: Ghana Government Portal (Accra) and Ghana bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Ghana's Minister of the Interior, William K. Aboah, has announced that Friday, May 25, 2012, had been declared a non-working statutory public holiday in Ghana to mark African Union Day. [full story]

Macedonian Public Holidays May 24 and 25

Sources: Министерство за труд и социјална политика (Skopje) and Macedonian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Macedonia's Ministry of Labour and Social Policy has announced that Thursday, May 24, 2012, would be a non-working public holiday for all citizens of Macedonia on account of the upcoming "Sts. Cyril and Methodius' Day of Slav Masters". [full story]

Brazilian Rio Summit Public Holidays Announced

Sources: O Globo (São Paulo) and Brazilian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The municipal council of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro (Cámara de Concejales de Río de Janeiro), has confirmed that Wednesday to Friday, June 20-22, 2012, would be declared as municipal non-working public holidays on account of the upcoming Rio+20 Summit. [full story]

Malaysian State Public Holiday June 4

Sources: Bernama News Agency (Kuching) and Malaysian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Chief Minister of the Government of Malaysia's state of Sarawak, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, has announced that Monday, June 4, 2012, would be an additional non-working public holiday throughout Sarawak State. [full story]

Dominican Republic Public Holiday May 20

Sources: Ministerio de Trabajo, República Dominicana (Santo Domingo) and Dominican Republic bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Ministry of Labour of the Dominican Republic has issued an official communiqué announcing that, as per the provisions of electoral law, Sunday, May 20, 2012, the date of the upcoming presidential election will be an official non-working public holiday. [full story]

Spain 2013 Basque Public Holidays Announced

Sources: Boletín Oficial del País Vasco (BOPV) and Spain bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The executive of Spain's autonomous region of the País Vasco has released its calendar of official regional public holidays (calendario laboral) for the upcoming calendar year 2013. [full story]

Namibian May 18 Public Holiday Ruled-Out

Sources: The Namibian (Windhoek) and Namibia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Namibia's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has issued an "Urgent Media Announcement" which flatly denies the recent rumours about a possible non-working public holiday on Friday, May 18, 2012. [full story]

Haiti May 17 Public Holiday Ruled-Out

Sources: Ministère de l'Intérieur et des Collectivités Territoriales d'Haïti (Port-au-Prince) and Haiti bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Office of Communication of the Presidency of Haiti has announced that Thursday, May 17, 2012, Ascension Day, has not been declared a one-off non-working public holiday in Haiti. [full story]

Lebanese Call For April 26 Public Holiday

Sources: The Daily Star (Beirut) and Lebanon bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Following yesterday's declaration of May 25 as a non-working public holiday in Lebanon, Phalange Party MPs have presented a draft law which would declare April 26, the anniversary date of the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, into an annual non-working public holiday. [full story]

British Virgin Islands 2012 Public Holidays Amended

Sources: British Virgin Islands Cabinet Office (BVI) and British Virgin Islands bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Deputy Governor’s Office of the British Virgin Islands, after consultation with the Cabinet of the British Virgin Islands, has amended the previously-announced list of 2012 BVI public holidays by proclaiming Monday, June 4, 2012, as a non-working public holiday throughout the Territory of the British Virgin Islands to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and to celebrate the 86th anniversary of the birth of Her Majesty the Queen. [full story]

DR Congo Public Holiday May 17

Sources: Présidence de la République Démocratique du Congo (Kinshasa) and DR Congo bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has announced that Thursday, May 17, 2012, had been declared a non-working public holiday (déclarée chômée et payée sur toute l’étendue du territoire national). [full story]

Timor Leste Public Holidays May 17, 18 and 21

Sources: Press Release Government Of Timor-Leste (Dili) and Timor Leste bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Timor Leste has announced that it had decided to declare day-off public sector holidays (Toleránsia Pontu) for May 17, 18, and 21, to coincide with the upcoming 10th Anniversary of Timor Leste's Restoration of Independence. [full story]

Lebanon Public Holiday May 25

Sources: جمعيّة مصارف لبنان (Beirut) and Lebanon bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, has once again issued a decree declaring Friday, May 25, 2012, as a non-working public holiday in Lebanon on the occasion of "Resistance and Liberation Day". [full story]

Japanese 2013 Bank Holidays Announced

Sources: 日本銀行 (Tokyo) and Japan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Bank of Japan (Japan's central bank) has released its official list of 2013 bank holidays in Japan for the upcoming calendar year 2013. [full story]

Cayman Islands July 18 Public Holiday Voted

Sources: Cayman Islands Government Information and Services (Grand Cayman) and Cayman Islands bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Cayman Islands' Legislative Assembly has approved by a vote of 8-3 the legislation enshrining the recently-announced one-off referendum public holiday on Wednesday, July 18, 2012. [full story]

Malaysian State Public Holiday May 20

Sources: Bernama News Agency (Kota Baharu) and Malaysian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Malaysia's State of Kelantan has declared Sunday, May 20, 2012, as another one-off state public holiday in conjunction with next Saturday's FA Cup final between the Red Warriors and Sime Darby FC. [full story]

Lesotho Public Holiday May 26

Sources: The Lesotho Cabinet (Maseru) and Lesotho bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Cabinet of Lesotho has approved a measure that will make May 26, 2012, the date of the upcoming general elections, a non-working public holiday in Lesotho. [full story]

Spain May 14 Public Holiday Ruled-Out

Sources: La Opinión de Murcia (Murcia) and Spain bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Spanish Royal Palace has confirmed that no official public holiday would be given on May 14, the upcoming 50th wedding anniversary of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. [full story]

Canada Family Day Public Holiday Revision

Sources: The Globe and Mail (Toronto) and Canada bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Premier of Canada's Province of British Columbia, Christy Clark, has announced that contrary to her earlier announcement, Monday, February 18, 2013, might not be the first occurrence of a new, Family Day, annual public holiday in British Columbia. [full story]

Sint Maarten July 1 Public Holiday Update

Sources: Government of Sint Maarten (Great Bay) and Sint Maarten bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Sint Maarten's Parliamentary Central Committee has approved a draft ordinance recently presented by Education and Culture Minister, Rhoda Arrindell, and which would finally make July 1st a new annual national non-working public holiday, beginning in 2012. [full story]

Kuwait Public Holiday June 17

Sources: الكويت جنة الخدمة المدنية (Kuwait City) and Kuwaiti bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Kuwaiti Civil Service Commission has announced that it had declared Sunday, June 17, 2012, as a non-working public holiday for the upcoming Israa and Meraj (Prophet's Ascension) annual public holiday. [full story]

Singapore May 26 Public Holiday Ruled-Out

Sources: Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Singapore bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Government of Singapore has announced that May 26, 2012, the date of the upcoming Hougang by-election would not be another one-off non-working public holiday in Singapore. [full story]

Portugal Public Holidays Reduction Finalized

Sources: Governo de Portugal (Lisboa) and Portugal bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The final block of the Portuguese Government's plan to reduce the number of annual public holidays has come into place as an agreement between the Portuguese government and the Vatican was finally reached today on the selection of the 2 religious public holidays to be dropped from the list of Portugal's annual non-working public holidays. [full story]

Cayman Islands July 18 Public Holiday Reversal

Sources: Cayman Islands Government Information and Services (Grand Cayman) and Cayman Islands bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Cayman Islands' Premier, McKeeva Bush, has announced that, contrary to her recent ruling out of July 18 being declared a public holiday, the date of the upcoming "one man one vote" referendum would in fact be a non-working public holiday in the Cayman Islands. [full story]

UK Trafalgar Public Holiday Abandoned

Sources: UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (London) and UK bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). A spokesman from the UK's Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has announced that the UK government had dropped the previously-announced plans to create an annual non-working public holiday commemorating the Battle of Trafalgar. [full story]

Malaysia Adds Sikh Public Holiday

Sources: Bernama News Agency (Kuala Lumpur) and Malaysian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, has announced that, beginning in 2013, all Malaysian government public servants from the Sikh community would be given a day off public holiday on Vaisakhi Day. [full story]

Slovakia Considers Public Holidays Reduction

Sources: Government Office of the Slovak Republic (Bratislava) and Slovakia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Slovakia has announced that it is also considering reducing the number of annual public holidays and non-working days in Slovakia to spur economic growth. [full story]

Luxembourg October 20 Public Holiday Ruled-Out

Sources: The Grand Ducal Palace of Luxembourg (Luxemburg) and Luxembourg bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Luxembourg's Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, has announced that October 20, 2012, the date of the upcoming wedding of Prince Guillaume would not be a non-working national public holiday. [full story]

Canada Regional Public Holiday Revision

Sources: The Regina Leader-Post (Regina) and Canada bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Government of Canada's Province of Saskatchewan has announced a sweeping review of labour legislation in Saskatchewan, including the question of whether the province has the appropriate number of public holidays. [full story]

Algerian Public Holiday May 10

Sources: الموقع الرسمي للمديرية العامة للوظيفة العمومية (Alger) and Algeria banks holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Algerian government has confirmed that Thursday, May 10, 2012, had been declared a one-off non-working public holiday, on account of the upcoming elections. [full story]

Ecuador Public Holidays 2012-2015

Sources: Agencia de Noticias del Ecuador y Sudamérica (ANDES) and Ecuador bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Ecuador's Presidency has released the Decreto 1162 which extends the announced dates of Ecuador's non-working public holidays for the remainder of 2012 as well as the calendar years 2013, 2014, and 2015. [full story]

Kazakhstan New Public Holiday May 7

Sources: Қазақстан Республикасының Электрондық үкіметі (Astana) and Kazakhstan bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has instructed the government to draft and submit a bill ("On amendments to the Law of Kazakhstan") that would make May 7 a non-working public holiday to be called the "Defender of the Motherland Day". [full story]

Turkey Changes Public Holidays Observance

Sources: Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul) and Turkey bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). A national holidays circular, jointly prepared by the Prime Ministry, General Staff and the ministries of education, culture and tourism, and youth and sports, has been approved by Turkey's president, following the recent review of the extent of the celebrations linked to most of Turkey's national public holidays. [full story]

Bolivian New Regional Public Holiday

Sources: Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Previsión Social (La Paz) and Bolivia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The governor of Bolivia's Province of Santa Cruz, Rubén Costas, has decreed a new annual regional public holiday on May 4, to commemorate the anniversary of its autonomy referendum, four years ago. [full story]

Malaysian 2014 Islamic Public Holidays Announced

Sources: الموقع الرسمي الإدارة التقدمية الإسلامية الماليزية (JAKIM) and Malaysia bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Malaysia's governmental Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, aka. JAKIM) has published its Islamic calendar for 2014 (corresponding to 1435-1436 AH), thus specifying the dates of all Malaysian non-working Islamic public holidays in 2014. [full story]

Algerian May 10 Public Holiday Uncertain

Sources: الموقع الرسمي للمديرية العامة للوظيفة العمومية (Alger) and Algeria banks holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Algerian government has not yet announced whether it will declare a one-off non-working public holiday on May 10, on account of the upcoming elections. [full story]

Bangladesh Buddha Day Public Holiday Change

Sources: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Bangladesh bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Bangladesh has announced that the date for the upcoming Buddha Purnima non-working public holiday had been changed from the previously-announced date of Monday, June 4, 2012, to Sunday, May 6, 2012. [full story]