The Voice of Entrepreneurs Association (UGP) invites mayors and heads of municipalities in the Republic of Croatia to declare the holiday of All Saints manifestations or fair days in their cities and municipalities so that entrepreneurs from the trade sector, especially flower shops and souvenir shops, could work.
Namely, as we know, the provisions of the Law on Amendments to the Law on Trade entered into force on July 1, 2023, and they prohibit work on Sundays and holidays, limit the working hours of shops, with the possibility of using 16 working Sundays per year, and which cannot be used on holidays.
UGP believes that the holiday of All Saints is particularly important for flower shops who prepare for weeks for orders to enable their customers and fellow citizens to buy arrangements and candles for the graves of their loved ones, and it is unimaginable to them that this will not be possible this year.
"The government's insane decision to prohibit work on holidays and Sundays primarily affects small traders and leads all of us to the point that we need to improvise quite unnecessarily. UGP really appeals to the common sense of our mayors and chiefs, and calls on them to find a model for enabling one of the fundamental rights - the right to work." he said Hrvoje Bujas, President of UGP.
In August 2023, after an appeal by the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association, which called on the mayors to pass a Decision declaring fair days in their area, many cities adopted the initiative. In this way, they enabled special sales at kiosks, stands and similar facilities as integral parts of fair events, and at least part of enabled entrepreneurs to work from 9:00 a.m. until 24:00 a.m.
The Voice of Entrepreneurs Association organized and gathered its members whose business was affected by the changes and amendments to the Trade Act and in July 2023 submitted to the Constitutional Court a Proposal for the assessment of the conformity of the Act with the Constitution in relation to the legal provisions of the amendments to the Trade Act concerning work bans on Sundays and holidays, as well as determining the maximum number of working hours of individual stores.
While the evaluation of the constitutionality of the Trade Act is pending, UGP appeals to cities and municipalities to enable entrepreneurs to earn their salaries and operate without restrictions.
Zagreb has already declared the fair days to be All Saints' Day
The Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević, announced at today's press conference that he will declare fair days for All Saints' Day, so that the sale of flowers and other traditional products will be able to take place without hindrance.