A government decree in Russia outlines adjustments to weekends and public holidays for 2023. The document, signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, specifies changes intended to reorganize the calendar for the upcoming year.
The arrangement includes extended New Year holidays from December 31 to January 8. The May holidays are scheduled for April 29 to May 1 and from May 6 to May 9, and these would follow the new plan described in the decree.
The text notes that Sunday dates in the new year fall on January 1 and January 8. Since these are typically non-working days, authorities decided to move the extra days off to Friday, February 24 and Monday, May 8 respectively, aligning them with the long weekend pattern described in the decree.
For 2023, non-working days are set from February 23 to February 26 inclusive, March 8, April 29 to May 1, May 6 to May 9, June 10 to 12, and November 4 to 6. The decree also mentions that December 31 will fall on a Sunday next year, which will automatically grant a day off on the eve of the New Year holidays. A similar scheduling note is observed for 2022, when the final day of the year landed on a Saturday.
Every year on December 31st is proposed to be a permanent holiday to help Russians prepare for the New Year. Denis Kravchenko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, supported the idea, saying the date should be a fixed holiday. A deputy colleague, Sultan Khamzaev, urged regional leaders to declare December 31 a public holiday because polls show broad public support for the move. A survey conducted by the SuperJob service indicated that about 81 percent of respondents favored making December 31 an official non-working day forever.
The discussion includes a proposal to postpone September 1, the start of the school year. Khamzaev described September 1 as a true relay for many families, because parents must juggle preparing their children for school with work obligations. He emphasized that recognizing important life dates should be a priority, and that even with a day off, families may better manage their responsibilities and time together. Knowledge Day is already a public holiday in Russia, but it is observed as a working day; the deputy suggested shifting it toward One of the New Year holidays to give students and families longer breaks.
There is also consideration of declaring March 18, the date when Crimea joined Russia, as a public holiday. Furthermore, a new holiday could be added on July 8 to recognize family, love, and fidelity, while keeping the total number of such days as prescribed by the Labor Code. The argument centers on reinforcing traditional values within Russian society and ensuring that the calendar reflects the country’s cultural priorities.
Overall, the discussions reflect a broader aim to balance work with significant cultural and national dates, offering longer breaks when possible while preserving the total number of non-working days stipulated by law. Observers note that the government remains attentive to public sentiment and the practical needs of families when shaping the official holiday schedule for the coming year. In practice, these changes would shape planning for travel, education, and workplace operations across the country as residents prepare for important national milestones and family occasions. The government continues to evaluate the impact of calendar shifts on economic activity, schooling, and social well-being, with an eye toward maintaining stability and cultural continuity for Canadians and Americans who follow Russian policy developments through international coverage and official announcements.