Public holidays in Romania explained

The following is a list of public holidays in Romania. According to Romanian law, Romania had 51 public holidays as of 2011, which cover 14% of the days of the year in the country.[1]

Official non-working holidays

DateRomanian nameEnglish nameRemarks
1-2 JanuaryRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Anul NouNew Year's Day
6 JanuaryRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: BoboteazăEpiphanyPublic holiday starting with 2024
7 JanuaryRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Sfântul IonSaint John the BaptistPublic holiday starting with 2024
24 JanuaryRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Ziua Unirii Principatelor RomâneDay of the Unification of the Romanian PrincipalitiesCelebrates unification of the Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859 and the foundation of the Romanian modern state.[2] A non-working day since 2016.
1 MayRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Ziua MunciiLabour DayInternational Labour Day
April/MayRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: PașteleGood Friday, Easter, Easter MondayThe official holiday is the Orthodox Easter. The holiday is three days long, Good Friday,[3] Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are non-working.
1 JuneRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Ziua CopiluluiChildren's DayPublic holiday starting with 2017[4]
May/JuneRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: RusaliileThe 50th and 51st day after the Orthodox Easter.
15 AugustRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Adormirea Maicii Domnului/Sfânta Maria MareDormition of the Mother of GodAlso the Day of the Romanian Naval Forces since St. Mary is the patron saint of the Navy.
30 NovemberRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Sfântul AndreiSaint Andrew's DaySaint Andrew is the patron saint of Romania.
1 DecemberRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Ziua Națională a RomânieiNational Day of RomaniaIt celebrates the unification of Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina with the Kingdom of Romania.
25-26 DecemberRomanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: CrăciunulChristmas DayBoth first and second Christmas Day are holidays.

Other working holidays and observances

DateNameRemarks
15 JanuaryNational Culture Day[5] Celebration of the birth of the Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu.
27 JanuaryInternational Holocaust Remembrance Day
19 FebruaryBrâncuși Day[6] Not a public holiday.
20 FebruaryWorld Day of Social Justice
8 MarchWomen's DayObserves International Women's Day[7]
9 MarchAnti-Communist Political Prisoners' Day[8]
20 MarchInternational Francophonie Day and International Day of Happiness
21 MarchInternational Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, World Down Syndrome Day, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty[9] and Oltenia Day
22 MarchWorld Water Day
24 MarchWorld Tuberculosis Day
25 MarchRomanian Police Day and International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
27 MarchDay of the Union of Bessarabia with RomaniaCelebrates the Union of Bessarabia with Romania.
Last or second-to-last Saturday in March (in)Earth HourNot a public holiday
First Sunday in April (in)NATO DayNot a public holiday – observed by the Government institutions
2 AprilWorld Autism Awareness Day
3 AprilRomanian Gendarmerie Day
7 AprilWorld Health Day
8 AprilDay of the Romani Ethnicity of Romania
22 AprilEarth DayNot a public holiday
23 AprilRailway Day, Librarian Day, World Book Day, National Day of the Romanian Tax Consultant
29 AprilWar Veterans' Day[10]
First Sunday in May (in)Mother's Day
Second Sunday in May (in)Father's Day, Teenager's Day and National Dress Day
2 MayNational Youth Day
3 MayWorld Press Freedom Day
5 MayDay of the Tatar Language
8 MayEquality of Opportunities Between Women and Men Day
9 MayIndependence Day,[11] Victory Day and Europe DayIt celebrates Romania's proclamation of independence during the war against the Ottoman Empire in 1877–1878, concluded with the recognition of Romania's independence. Romania celebrates the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945. Also, starting 2007, Romania observes Europe Day.
10 MayMonarchy Day, Balkan Romanianness DayThe first celebrates the crowning of Carol I as its first king, as well as all the kings of the Romanian monarchy.
14 MayInternational Humanitarian Rights Day
15 MayNational Veterinary Day and International Day of Families
21 MayWorld Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
24 MayBulgarian Language Day[12]
25 MaySlovak Language Day
27 MayMihai Viteazul DayIn 1600, Michael the Brave briefly unified Wallachia, Transylvania and Moldavia under his rule.
31 MayMilitary Reserves Day
Last Sunday in May (in)Day of the Romanians Everywhere, Romanian Businessperson Day
May/June
(in)
Heroes' Day/AscensionThe 40th day from the Orthodox Easter. Not a public holiday – observed with military and religious festivities at the monuments dedicated to the national heroes (such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier)
1 JuneParents' Day
2 JuneNational Adoption Day
4 JuneInternational Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression and Trianon Treaty Day.
5 JuneNational Day Against Child Abuse and World Environment Day
14 JuneWorld Blood Donor Day
20 JuneWorld Refugee Day
26 JuneNational Flag Day, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
First Sunday in July (in)Justice Day
Second Sunday in July (in)Statistician Day
20 JulyRomanian Aviation and Air Force Day
24 JulyRomanian Border Police Day
28 JulyNational Ambulance Day and World Hepatitis Day
29 JulyNational Anthem DayDate when Deșteaptă-te, române! was first performed, in 1848 at Râmnicu Vâlcea – not a public holiday
30 JulyFriendship Day
15 AugustRomanian Navy Day
23 AugustLiberation from Fascist Occupation Day and Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Fascism and CommunismNational holiday between 1949 and 1990. On 23 August 1944, King Michael I joined with pro-Allied opposition politicians and led a successful coup against Conducător of Romania, Marshal Ion Antonescu's fascist government. Romania joins the Allies and participates alongside the Red Army in further operations in countries under Nazi occupation. Since 2011, Romania observes the European Day for Commemoration of the Victims of Totalitarian and Authoritarian regimes, also as a reminder of the Molotov–Ribbentrop pact signed on this day in 1939 – which resulted in Romania losing most of the region that is now Moldova and parts of Ukraine (see Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina).
31 AugustRomanian Language Day
1 SeptemberDanube Delta Biosphere Reserve Day
10 SeptemberWorld Suicide Prevention Day
13 SeptemberFirefighters of Romania's Day
14 SeptemberRomanian Engineer's Day
15 SeptemberInternational Day of Democracy
21 SeptemberInternational Day of Peace
28 SeptemberCzech Language Day
29 SeptemberWorld Heart Day
1 OctoberInternational Day of Older Persons and Romanian Diver's Day
5 OctoberWorld Education Day
9 OctoberWorld Post Day
10 OctoberWorld Mental Health Day
11 OctoberTransylvanian Schools Day
17 OctoberInternational Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 OctoberUnited Nations Day
25 OctoberArmed Forces DayNot a public holiday. Observed by the Romanian Army and its veterans on the anniversary of the liberation of Carei, the last Romanian city under horthyst-fascist occupation during World War II. Also the birthday of King Michael I
11 NovemberVeterans' Day
14 NovemberDobruja Day and World Diabetes DayDate which celebrates the integration of Northern Dobruja into Romania in 1878.
16 NovemberInternational Day for Tolerance and Romanian World Heritage Day
19 NovemberMen's Day and Romanian Researcher and Designer DayObserves men's day
28 NovemberBukovina DayDate which celebrates the Union of Bukovina with Romania in 1918.
Third Thursday of November (in)National Day Without Tobacco
Third Sunday of November (in)World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
1 DecemberWorld AIDS Day
2 DecemberInternational Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3 DecemberUnited Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities
8 DecemberConstitution DayDate when the referendum on the Romanian Constitution was held in 1991 thus establishing the first democratic republic.
9 DecemberInternational Anti-Corruption Day
10 DecemberHuman Rights Day
13 DecemberDay of the Tatar Ethnicity of Romania
16 DecemberNational Solidarity Day Against Dictatorship
18 DecemberDay of the National Minorities of Romania
20 DecemberInternational Human Solidarity Day
21 DecemberDay of Remembrance of the Victims of Communism in RomaniaMarks the peak of the victorious Romanian Revolution of 1989 and commemorates the victims who fell in the violent street confrontations between 16 and 27 December.
22 DecemberRomanian Revolution Victory and Freedom Day

Traditional holidays – working observances

DateName Remarks
24 FebruaryDragobeteleSimilar to St. Valentine's Day
1 MarchMărțișorulSpring festival

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Câte zile naționale are România. Marinela. Rata. România Liberă. September 26, 2011. ro.
  2. News: Legea prin care 24 ianuarie a fost declarată zi liberă nelucrătoare a fost promulgată de Iohannis. Mediafax. October 7, 2016. October 7, 2016. ro.
  3. News: Iohannis a promulgat legea prin care Vinerea Mare este sărbătoare legală nelucrătoare. Mediafax. March 12, 2018. March 16, 2018. ro.
  4. Web site: Din 2017, salariații vor sta acasă și de Ziua Copilului. 1 iunie, inclusă de azi pe lista liberelor legale. Inteligo. Avocatnet.ro. January 2, 2017.
  5. News: DOCUMENTAR: 15 ianuarie, Ziua Culturii Naţionale. Agerpres. January 13, 2017. ro.
  6. Web site: Legea pentru declararea Zilei Brâncuşi ca sărbătoare naţională a fost promulgată de Iohannis. Mediafax. November 27, 2015. December 2, 2015. ro.
  7. Web site: Legea nr. 22/2016 – declararea zilei de 8 martie — Ziua femeii si 19 noiembrie — Ziua bărbatului. Legeaz.net. September 30, 2017.
  8. News: 9 martie, "Ziua Deținuților Politici Anticomuniști". Vlad. Mironescu. Gândul. April 23, 2012. ro.
  9. News: Ziua internaţională a pădurilo (ONU). Agerpres. March 21, 2020. ro.
  10. News: Ziua Veteranilor de Război. Agerpres. April 28, 2015. ro.
  11. News: Cristea. Irina Andreea. 9 Mai – Ziua Independenţei de Stat a României. May 10, 2018. www.agerpres.ro. Agerpres. May 9, 2018. ro.
  12. News: Ziua Limbii Bulgare, introdusă prin lege în România. Andrei. Mărgăritescu. România Liberă. May 24, 2015. ro.