The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has prepared a resolution outlining public holidays in Russia for 2024. This document is released annually. The plan suggests extending the May break to four days in 2024. In an interview with the newspaper News, Minister Anton Kotyakov indicated that the holiday schedule would be published officially soon.
With May 1 landing on a Wednesday in 2024, the long weekend could be reduced to a single day of celebration. Yet Kotyakov stressed that authorities aim to make May months convenient for residents by coordinating additional days off.
As a result, the weekend would feature two extra days plus Sunday, April 28, creating a four-day break around May 1. Russians would then return to work on May 2. The longer May holidays will not change the New Year schedule, but the working week before the extended break will consist of six workdays, meaning Saturday, April 27, will be a workday. Beginning with the November holidays, one extra day will be reallocated to National Unity Day (November 4).
Kotyakov emphasized that authorities seek to balance the New Year and May holiday periods so that overall public time off remains functional for the economy and citizens alike. He noted that there are calls to shorten the Christmas weekend, but the current proposal appears to deliver favorable outcomes for the population and the economy.
The 2024 holiday calendar is presented as follows:
▪️ New Year holidays — January 1–7 (Monday to Sunday);
▪️ Defender of the Fatherland Day observed on February 23–25 (Friday to Sunday);
▪️ International Women’s Day observed on March 8–10 (Friday to Sunday).
Kotyakov did not specify non-working days for other holidays. The calendar aligns with Victory Day on Thursday, May 9; Russia Day on Wednesday, June 12; and National Unity Day on Monday, November 4.
Expert opinion
Experts consulted by Izvestia contend that New Year and May holidays in Russia should remain in their current form, despite frequent proposals to extend or shorten them. Alexander Safonov, a professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, warned that extending the May holiday could dampen economic activity and push up prices for certain goods. The assessment reflects concerns about the length of breaks affecting productivity and market dynamics.
Safonov also pointed out that shortening the post-New Year holidays could impact Russia’s winter tourism centers, which rely on steady visitor inflows during this period. He highlighted that Russia ranks high among countries in terms of annual working hours per person, a pattern partly driven by relatively low wages that push people into part-time or extra jobs, contributing to fatigue. To address these issues, he recommended improvements in productivity and broader adoption of mechanized labor where appropriate.
In the discussion about how to adjust the May holidays, Safonov’s view is that any change should carefully weigh economic benefits against social welfare and industrial sectors that depend on seasonal demand.
The debate on extending the May holidays
Earlier in April, the New People party introduced a bill in the State Duma proposing four days off aggregated across the New Year and May holidays. The idea was to compress the New Year break to four days (January 1–3 and January 7) while expanding the May holiday stretch from May 1 to May 9 to secure a longer rest period in the spring. Proponents argued that New Year time off often leads to fatigue, overeating, and occasional injuries, suggesting a more evenly spaced holiday pattern could be healthier and more practical for families.
Vladislav Davankov, one of the bill’s authors, argued that it would be better to enjoy an extra spring weekend outdoors rather than spending long winter evenings at home with abundant meals. The proposal, however, did not gain momentum in the legislature, and it drew criticism from fellow party members who questioned the likelihood of passage after years of debate on this topic.
Deputy Yaroslav Nilov remarked that the chances for the draft to advance were not favorable, noting that such initiatives have historically faced stiff opposition despite ongoing discussions about holiday duration.