Rabat – The Moroccan government is considering extending the Eid Al Fitr holiday to three days instead of two, in response to challenges faced by employees planning to travel during the religious celebration.
The Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Administrative Reform and Digital Transition, Ghita Mezzour, has proposed granting the exceptional holiday for Eid Al Fitr, 2M reported.
In a letter to Head of the Government Aziz Akhannouch, Mezzour highlighted the challenges faced by employees who wish to travel during the holiday due to uncertainty regarding the exact date of the celebration.
Eid Al Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, will fall in Morocco on either Wednesday, April 10, or Thursday, April 11 depending on the sighting of the moon.
To alleviate the difficulties faced by employees planning to travel, Mezzour proposed extending the holiday to three days. She suggested either Wednesday, April 10, or Friday, April 12, as additional days off.
The proposal aims to mitigate traffic congestion on national roads during the religious occasion and ensure that citizens can enjoy the Eid holiday with their families under favorable conditions.
Mezzour referred to a decree allowing the government to grant exceptional holidays when necessary, citing previous instances where similar measures were implemented for other religious holidays, including Eid Al Fitr in 2023.
The minister’s proposal is based on the government’s authority to regulate working days and hours, with provisions for exceptional circumstances.
If approved, the decision would provide employees in the public sector with additional time to celebrate the religious holiday with their families and communities.
According to astronomical calculations, the holy month of Ramadan will last 29 days in Morocco, meaning that Eid Al Fitr is set to be celebrated on April 10.
However, the exact date for the religious holiday will be determined after the sighting of the moon on the 29th day of Ramadan.
