The employers' associations in Bulgaria oppose the extension of legal holidays that fall on weekends, arguing that it generates economic losses.

The Industrial Capital Association of Bulgaria (AIKB) has taken a firm stance against extending public holidays that coincide with weekends, arguing that this practice leads to significant economic losses.

In 2026, Bulgaria will have 12 public holidays, and three of these will be non-working days as they fall on Sundays. AIKB estimates that each additional holiday costs the economy between 90 and 120 million euros, which negatively affects economic production. Executive Director Dobrin Ivanov emphasized that the policy introduced in 2017, which compensates public holidays with additional days off, should be reconsidered. The organization also discussed the proposal to declare April 20 as an official holiday, warning that this could increase the number of non-working days.

AIKB highlighted that labor productivity in Bulgaria is significantly lower compared to Western Europe, making the impact of additional non-working days more severe for the economy.