The festive season is almost at our door, and it was perhaps the holiday mood that prompted a Bulgarian MP to propose extending the paid annual leave for Bulgarians from 20 to 25 working days. In his Facebook profile he adduces the following reasons: less stress, prevention of diseases brought on by work-related stress and, of course, a higher standard of living; he makes no mention of work productivity at all but does compare Bulgaria to countries with a high per capita GDP. If the proposal were to be approved, then Bulgaria would be close to top of the list alongside countries like Denmark, Sweden, Austria and Luxembourg, though not Great Britain with its 28 days or France and Finland with 30 days of annual paid leave. What that concerned MP seems to be unaware of is that Bulgaria has long ago topped the unofficial rankings in… not working.

There is a phenomenon in Bulgaria known as “working off” certain days – by a Council of Ministers’ decree, “bridge holidays” are officially declared making “long weekends” and the work that should have been done on the additional day off, is “worked off” on a Saturday. One example – the government officially declared December 31 a day off, but it had to be “worked off” beforehand, on Saturday, December 12. Yet there is a subtle difference between going to work on any working day or on a Saturday – which is never all that busy. And so, the old year ends in Bulgaria on December 30, and the new year starts on January 4. But the new year having scarcely begun, as every other time, the days quickly run into more festivities with Epiphany falling on January 6 when all people called Yordan, Yordanka and their derivatives celebrate their name day (in Bulgaria name days are celebrated almost on a par with birthdays). But if you don’t’ have a Yordan in the family or in your circle of friends, you are sure to know someone by the name of Ivan, and they celebrate their name day on January 7. On days such as these work can only get in the way.

After a brief work rhythm the first month of the year rolls to an end, but not to worry – the very first day of February marks the next important festive date – Trifon Zarezan or St. Triforn the Pruner, the day of grapes and of wine, usually celebrated at the office. And as February is but a brief month, before you can say Jack Robinson, along comes Granny Marta on March 1 and then the country’s national day on March 3. By the way, in 2016 March 3 falls on a Thursday, so it is sure to be the next in the series of long weekends, with one more Saturday to be “worked off”. In recent years there has been a certain nostalgia for celebrating the international women’s day on March 8, a day to honour mothers, wives and, of course, female co-workers. Though it is not officially a holiday, there doesn’t seem to be much work done on that day. Usually, though not this year, April rolls by quickly in the hustle and bustle of preparing for Easter, and again work is definitely not a priority.

The following month might as well officially be declared a “month off”. This year May begins with Easter and all the hullabaloo that goes with it, but not to forget Labour Day, May 1. Then comes St. George’s day on May 6, making a string of “bridge holidays” with some of them, of course, being compensated for by a “work off Saturday”. After a brief respite comes May 24, the day of the Slavonic alphabet and culture which is officially a holiday in Bulgaria. Next year May 24 falls on a Tuesday, meaning a “bridge holiday” and a “work off Saturday”. But there is one other thing – the proms take place on or around that same date, May 24 every year and are, as we all know, celebrated in a particularly vulgar, wedding-like manner.

May is followed by three months when people take their yearly holidays anyway. And Bulgarians go back to the working rhythm in September, though not on the first school day, September 15, which is frequently cause to be absent from work. Meanwhile, around September 6, Reunification Day and September 22, Independence Day, the long weekends seem to be the time to say a long goodbye to summer, because then comes October; October is really dull – no holidays, no days off, no celebration. The same is true of November – the most depressing month of the year. But then along comes December and when the festive season comes into its own, the last thing on people’s minds is work.

So, a quick look at the calendar shows that October and November are the only months in Bulgaria when any real work is done. Someone might say that we don’t need the proposal by the esteemed MP - to add another 5 days to our paid annual leave. But they would be wrong, because apparently, now and again the hard working men and women seem to be short of a day or two make a bridge and string up a couple of “long weekends” to be able to take a whole fortnight’s holiday. The additional five paid days off would solve this serious problem.

English version: Milena Daynova