Alpha News

Public Holiday on Saturday: What Applies to Employees and Which Sectors are Affected

Published January 17, 2026, 07:21

The Council of Ministers has declared Saturday, January 17th, a public holiday due to the funeral of the former President of the Republic of Cyprus, George Vassiliou. However, the holiday is not expected to significantly affect the operation of supermarkets, which will remain open. Supermarket employees will work as usual, with the application of legislation regarding work on Saturdays and Sundays. Regarding frontline workers, such as those in hospitals, police, and fire departments, the state mechanism will remain operational, although there may be special arrangements for working during the holiday. Employees in these services will receive either overtime pay or time off, depending on their contracts. Maintaining order, safety, and the health of citizens are priorities and cannot be jeopardized due to the public holiday.