Egypt announces five-day paid holiday for private sector on occasion of Eid Al-Adha - Society
Minister of Labour Mohamed Gobran announced on Sunday that private sector workers will receive paid leave for Eid al-Adha, from Thursday, 5 June, to Monday, 9 June, according to a statement issued by the ministry.
This decision is part of the government's effort to unify official holiday dates across all sectors whenever possible to uphold the social and national significance of public holidays and celebrations.
The ministry also issued a circular granting paid leave to workers covered under Labour Law No. 12 of 2003. It instructed heads of central departments and directors of labour directorates to circulate the decision at workplaces and ensure its enforcement.
This circular aligns with Prime Ministerial Decree No. 1803 of 2025, which declared the same five-day period as official paid leave for employees in ministries, government offices, public authorities, local administration units, public sector companies, and state-owned enterprises.
Examination schedules, where applicable, will continue as planned by the competent authorities, read the statement.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced the same five-day Eid holiday for public sector employees.
Eid Al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of the two most significant Islamic holidays, alongside Eid Al-Fitr. It celebrates Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) readiness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God.
The holiday also marks the start of Hajj, the yearly Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be done at least once by Muslims who can afford it and are physically able to do it.
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Another exiled group that has garnered support from US conservatives is the Mujahadin-e Khalq (MeK), a shadowy dissident group that was once a US-designated terrorist organization but today counts prominent anti-Iran politicians as key allies. Iran accuses it of terrorism, saying it carried out a series of attacks in the 1980s. The MeK denies those charges. It is one of the best-organized opposition groups confronting the Islamic Republic, but it has little support among Iranians, largely due to its violent past and for having supported Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during his almost decade-long war with Iran. If Iran's regime falls, 'there would be support for ethnic separatist groups by the Israelis, and perhaps the US,' Parsi said. This would lead to a situation where remnants of the state are going to be consumed with fighting separatists. Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, executive director of the Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy and a former Iranian lawmaker who opposes the current regime, expressed fears that Iran may descend into civil conflict if the current rule falls. 'I would like to get rid of this regime. I am the opposition,' she told CNN's Becky Anderson. 'My main concern is… I see the signs (of) civil war.'
