Government Agencies Handle May 8 Differently. Which Services Will Be Available On This Day, And Which Will Not?

Since 8^th May is no longer a non-working day but remains a national holiday, there has been a certain “chaos” recently in Slovakia about what services will be available on said day. General confusion about how to proceed has hit schools, hospitals and other branches as well. Many have therefore set their “opening hours” individually and each one will proceed differently. Insurance companies and banks have set their opening hours individually too.

Shops, shopping centers, offices under the Ministry of the Interior, the Social Insurance Agency, and Slovak Post will be open. Of the four largest banks, only Tatra banka will be open. Conversely, the remaining banks and all health insurance companies will be closed. The opening hours of city and municipal offices are determined by local governments. Public transportation will operate as usual.

Last year, the railway company had to add extra trains for the celebrations marking the anniversary of the victory over fascism. This year, trains will run as usual on 8^th May. District offices, where you can, for example, apply for a business license, will be open on Friday as on a regular workday. The same applies to other offices under the Ministry of the Interior, such as land registry offices and traffic inspectorates.

Local governments have decided for themselves how they will operate. Some municipal or city offices will be open, while others will not. If people need to see a doctor, they will have to check in advance to see if the doctor’s office will be open. On Friday, clinics will have varying opening hours.

“This is an individual organizational decision made by each clinic, taking into account primarily the needs of patients, staffing capabilities, and internal operational arrangements,” explained Jaroslava Orosová, president of the Association of Outpatient Providers.

We also checked with the health insurance companies. All three will remain closed. In contrast, the Social Insurance Agency will operate as usual, as will the post office. Shopping centers and retail chains will also be open.