Romanian workers get two extra official days off this winter holidays season

The Romanian Government decided to give Romanian workers two extra days off this year, on December 24 and 31- both on Mondays. These add up to the existing official free days - December 25 and 26, the first and second days of Christmas, and turn the Christmas official holiday period into a four-day long week-end. The New Year's Eve mini-break will officially start on December 29 (Saturday) and end on January 3, when most Romanians will have to return to work. Romanians usually have a free day on December 1, which is an official holiday, when the country celebrates its National Day, but this year it is on a Sunday. Most private companies in Romania decide on the length of the Christmas holiday with their employees. The official schedule is stricter applied in public institutions. With 11 public holidays a year, Romanians are around the middle in the world rankings and could soon have an extra day, following parliamentary approval of Saint Andrew's day as a national holiday, which is likely to be enforced in 2013. Romanians are free on January 1 and 2, have two free days on Easter, on May 1 for Labor Day, on June 3 and 4 for Rusalii (also a religious holiday), on August 15 for the celebration of St. Mary, on December 1- the National Day and on December 25 and 26. Columbia has the most public holidays with 18 a year, while Japan and India are not far behind, both with 16. At the other end of the spectrum, Britain and the Netherlands have only 8 national holidays a year, however, the UK has the highest number of days statutory paid leave in the world - 28 days, according to a study by Mercer Human Resources. Neighboring Bulgaria has more public holidays than Romania - 15 a year. editor@romania-insider.com