2nd day of the New Year in Bosnia & Herzegovina

A holiday with different legal bases

In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy says the applicable Holidays Act provides for New Year to be observed on 1 and 2 January. The ministry identifies the act as a former Yugoslav law that continues to apply as a federal law.[1]

Republika Srpska lists New Year as one of its republic holidays and specifies 1 and 2 January. Brčko District’s law lists New Year among the District’s official holidays and gives the same dates.[2][3]

Who gets the day off

In the Federation, the ministry says employers, institutions, administrative bodies and other legal persons do not work on the holiday, except where continuous work is required under special regulations.[1] In Republika Srpska, the law says republic bodies, local self-government bodies, enterprises and other organizations do not work on republic holidays; the government may designate services that must operate and set how they work.[2]

Brčko District’s law says District institutions, businesses and other legal persons do not work during District holidays. Its amended provision allows vital services, continuous operations and services meeting community needs to work; the mayor and president of the Judicial Commission are to issue instructions on the type, extent and schedule of that work.[3][4]

When a holiday falls on Sunday

Substitute-day arrangements are not identical across the jurisdictions. Brčko District’s law says its holidays are transferable and that when one falls on Sunday, the first working day after the holiday is non-working. Republika Srpska’s law, by contrast, says a holiday falling on a non-working day cannot be transferred to the next working day.[2][3]

For the Federation, New Year is observed over 1 and 2 January. Check the relevant official notice for the applicable calendar rather than assuming the same transfer rule applies everywhere.[1]

What the day means in practice

The holiday dates and rules about work are set by law. Check opening hours with the particular office, shop, bank or transport provider. Essential or continuous services may operate under the relevant jurisdiction’s arrangements.[2][3][4]