Moscow news
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30-Nov-2009
Breaking with the New Year’s break
The winter holidays are just around the corner - and with their imminent arrival comes not only such traditions as carols and Christmas trees, but the inescapable holiday-season Duma debate.
In each of the last several years at least one and sometimes more Duma deputies have introduced a bill calling for the long New Year's break to be cancelled. The extended holidays, which include January 1-5 and Orthodox Christmas Day on December 7 - inevitably adding up to more than a week off, with weekends added - were introduced by the United Russia party in 2004. At the time, the party said that the break would allow parents to spend more time with their children and strengthen the Russian institution of the family. Since then, however, the holiday break has come under criticism as being inconvenient and socially disruptive.
Anton Belyakov, a Duma deputy from the Just Russia faction, said that in 2008 the federal budget lost some 700 billion roubles as a result of industry stopping over the break.
"But this is not the most important thing, such a long winter holiday has a negative influence on the health of our citizens - both physically and on their morale," said Belyakov. "It is during the New Year's holidays, when most Russians - especially during the crisis - are not able to arrange quality rest and relaxation, that we record the very highest mortality rates in Russia."
Belyakov said that mortality rates due to excessive alcohol consumption exceeded figures for other months by 6-8 per cent. During the long break there is also an increase in poisonings due to fake alcohol, car accidents due to drink driving and fires in which alcohol-affected individuals suffer.
"According to the Emergency Situations Ministry, on a typical 24-hour period in Russia some 40 people die in fires, while during the Christmas holidays the number of victims increases to 160 people a day," said Belyakov. "Unfortunately, the number of victims of idleness and drunkenness numbers several thousand dead."
Belyakov added that such a long break put a serious dent in the pocketbook of the average Russian. He said that quality, accessible rest and relaxation was far more expensive during the colder months than at the end of spring. Visiting cafes and cinemas was not inexpensive and as such 89 per cent of Russians spend the holidays at home in front of the television or visiting friends. He said that it was during this period that Russians with low incomes started to suffer depression due to a lack of recreational opportunities caused by a shortage of money.
"It's obvious that due to the mass sackings this year, such situations will only become worse," said Belyakov.
Just Russia has proposed to remedy the situation by shifting some New Year's holiday dates. In July, Just Russia' leader, Nikolai Levichev, submitted a bill to the State Duma calling for the New Year's break to run from December 31 to January 3. The two vacated holiday dates would be moved to December 31 and May 2. The bill is due to be considered in December.
"I consider that the bill to move the winter holidays submitted by Just Russia's leader Nikolai Levichev needs to be supported," said Belyakov. "It is obvious that such a long New Year's holiday during the crisis will cause serious economic damage to the country and harm the health and well-being of Russians. Russians can spend the May holidays outdoors with benefits to both their health and family budget."
He added that an extra spring break would help the nation's vegetable garden owners prepare their plots for the upcoming season.
"We need to understand that during the crisis, household plots are a good source of support for many families," said the Duma deputy.
Last December, the State Duma rejected more than 10 bills that called for Russia's public holidays to be changed or moved.
The Moscow News