People can shop everywhere without any problems. Photo credit: Freepik.
Brno, Nov 15 (BD) – The law restricting sales on certain holidays in large stores has been in force since 2016, yet some customers are still unsure about opening hours before national holidays.
17 November is the Day for Freedom and Democracy in the Czech Republic, as well as International Student Day, which is one of the public holidays not covered by the law on opening hours. On this day, stores can open without restrictions, regardless of the area of the shop floor.
Thursday’s national holiday relates to two historic events: the forcible closing of Czech universities in 1939 by the Nazi occupying forces, and the beginning of the so-called Velvet Revolution in 1989 which led to the end of the communist era. On 17 November 1989, a permitted demonstration was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the closure of Czech universities. After the official event, a large number of demonstrators marched to the city centre to express their disapproval towards the communist regime. The police gradually surrounded the demonstrators on Národní třída and brutally beat them, triggering the events that led to the fall of the communist regime. It is also a public holiday with many cultural, student, and side events, as well as demonstrations.
