The trades-unionists of Solidarnosc have welcomed the introduction of a ban on commercial activities in the 12 days of the year that correspond to the main national and religious festivities. The provision will permit “shopkeepers to remain at home with their families and relax during those holidays”, said Alfred Bujara, chairman of the trades-union organization that represents workers in the commercial sector. The bill, presented in Parliament by the majority party “Law and Justice” (Prawo i sprawiedliwosc – PIS) of the Kaczynski twins, was supported by the MPs of two other parties in the ruling coalition (LPR and Samoobrona) and has the backing of almost 2/3 of deputies. Apart from the national holidays, shops and supermarkets will remain closed on 1st January, Easter Sunday and Monday, Pentecost, Corpus Domini, the Assumption of Mary, the feast of All Saints, Christmas and Boxing Day. The initial project, which called for shops to be closed every Sunday, was modified to avert the expected sacking of over 25,000 workers in the sector. The Confederation of Polish Employers has branded the new law “a manifest limitation of freedom to engage in economic activity”.
