Shortly before Easter, a discussion broke out in the Czech Republic about the opening times of shops on public holidays. The current regulation is causing confusion for many people, the newspaper “Pravo” reported. “Not only me, but also many others have to check before every holiday whether it is open or not,” said Deputy Speaker of Parliament Vera Kovarova. “I don’t see through it,” admitted the parliamentary group leader of the ruling ODS party, Marek Benda.
Currently, shops with a sales area of more than 200 square meters must be closed on Easter Monday and on January 1st, May 8th, September 28th, October 28th and the two Christmas holidays. However, the shop doors may remain open on other public holidays such as Good Friday. This also applies to May 1st, Labor Day, or December 17th, which is the day of the fight for freedom and democracy and commemorates the democratic change in 1989.
However, a new legislative initiative by a group of parliamentarians to completely abolish the ban on sales on public holidays has little chance of gaining a majority. Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny emphasized that his Christian Democratic party KDU-CSL would never raise its hand for this. Olga Richterova from the Czech Pirate Party, who also sits in the government, also expressed her opposition. “In the West, it is common practice for employees to spend certain holidays with their loved ones and relax,” she said.