Czech Cabinet backs Good Friday holiday

The Czech Cabinet on Wednesday backed a proposal to make Good Friday a state holiday in the country. The move, if approved by both houses of parliament, would put the largely atheistic country in line with neighbouring Slovakia, Austria, and Germany. The original proposal to make Good Friday a holiday stemmed from the junior government party, the Christian Democrats. The Czech Republic currently has 13 state holidays although these sometimes fall at weekends and thus deprive employees of a well deserved day off. Backing for the new holiday has already been given by most major political parties with the exception of the communists. The holiday was ended during the early years of the former communist regime in the 1950s.

Author: Chris Johnstone