Minister Osmanović withdraws Law on non-working days during religious holidays

11:44 Minister of Civil Affairs Adil Osmanović, as the proposer of the Bill on non-working days during religious holidays in BiH, addressed the MPs, stating that BiH has undertaken an obligation to determine special non-working days during religious holidays by a special law, and that he is withdrawing this Law from the agenda for further consultations, reports the news agency Patria.

10:00 MPs of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament are, among other things, considering the Bill on non-working days during religious holidays in BiH at today's session, reports the news agency Patria.

However, Denis Bećirović (SDP) immediately expressed that this law is controversial during the discussion of the agenda, requesting that this law be removed from the agenda. He stated that there are a number of unconstitutional grounds in this law and that it even states that BiH does not have a Law on Holidays.

Šemsudin Mehmedović (SDA) also requested the removal of this item from the agenda, stating that this law does not treat others, which is unacceptable.

Zaim Backović (BPS) also joined the request to remove the Bill on non-working days during religious holidays from the agenda. However, Damir Arnaut (SBB) warned that this is a mandatory agenda item.

Aleksandra Pandurević (SDS) emphasized that this is a mandatory item, and it is up to the proposer to withdraw this law.

- I would like that to happen. I am just interested that SNSD is asking for this law, I don't know what Milorad Dodik will say after the session – Pandurević stated.

Staša Košarac (SNSD) emphasized that they did not vote for this law and that time will tell what they think.

Pandurević then handed Košarac the voting listings for this law when it was on the agenda twice.

Amir Fazlić requested a 15-minute break in the session.

Otherwise, according to the Bill proposed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, Muslims in our country would have two non-working days during Ramadan Bayram, two days during Kurban Bayram, and one day during the year chosen by the believer on the occasion of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad or the New Hijri Year.

For members of the Catholic faith, one non-working day is foreseen during Epiphany, one day for Corpus Christi, one day for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Great Lady's Day, one day for All Saints' Day, and one day for Christmas. For members of the Orthodox faith, a non-working day would, as stated in the Proposal, be one day for Christmas, one day for Saint Archdeacon Stephen, one day for Good Friday, one day for Easter, and one day for Pentecost.

Members of the Jewish faith would have one non-working day during Sukkot, one day during Shavuot, one day for Passover, one day for Rosh Hashanah (New Year), and one day for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Members of other faiths in BiH would also have five non-working days a year for the purpose of celebrating religious holidays. If any of the aforementioned days fall on a Sunday, the first following working day will also be a non-working day.