On Saturday, January 17, the day of the funeral of former President of the Republic, George Vassiliou, has been declared a public holiday – but only on paper for many. The private sector, specifically supermarkets, will remain open and employees will work as usual, like every Saturday.
As stated to the Cyprus News Agency by the Executive Secretary of the Pancyprian Supermarkets Association, Andreas Hadjihadamou, it was clarified that the legislation for Saturday and Sunday work will be applied, leaving many private sector workers feeling that the ‘public holiday’ is… only for those working in the public sector.
The decision has sparked intense reactions, with some workers calling it a ‘holiday on paper’ and demanding fairer treatment. Many point out that the sense of equality in public holidays is lost, as distinctions between Public and Private sectors remain strong. The incident brings back to the forefront a discussion often forgotten: what does a public holiday truly mean in Cyprus and who really enjoys it?
