May 1 is traditionally marked as both labor day and the day of Latvia's constitution. But some MPs now believe it should be replaced by an official holiday on November 11 when Latvia remembers its fallen soldiers (one week ahead of the national independence day holiday on November 18), while other MPs, who meet every Thursday in parliament and enjoy a lengthy summer recess, argue that with a total of 16 public holidays through the course of the year, Latvians already enjoy too much leisure time and the economy would benefit from removing at least one holiday from the calendar.
Debates on when, why and how Latvians will be allowed to spend their days off remain in the future and will be reviewed by the Saeima's Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee. In the meantime, enjoy your day off.
