Slovakia Cancels Two Public Holidays But Keeps Work Bonuses to Support Economy

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said his government deliberately cancelled two public holidays while maintaining workers' bonus payments for those dates as part of an economic support strategy. Speaking during a session of the National Council's committee on European affairs, Fico explained that eliminating May 8 and September 15 as official state holidays while preserving the premium pay rates for employees working those days was an intentional policy decision. The move appears designed to increase economic productivity by reducing non-working days while still providing financial incentives to workers, balancing business interests with employee compensation during the government's broader economic policy initiatives.