Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste

Ninth Constitutional Government

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

May 16th, 2025

Press Release 

Day off on May 19th 2025 on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary celebrations of the ‘Restoration of Independence’

Bearing in mind that Article 7(2)(a) of Law No. 10/2005, of August 10^th, as amended by Laws No. 3/2016, of May 25^th, and No. 10/2023, of April 5^th, provides that a day off may be granted on the occasion of an official commemorative date.

Bearing in mind that, according to Article 1(2)(d) of Law No. 10/2005, of August 10^th, as amended by Laws No. 3/2016, of May 25^th, and No. 10/2023, of April 5^th, May 20^th, Independence Restoration Day is a national holiday;

Considering that this year, May 20^th marks the 23rd anniversary of the Restoration of Independence;

Considering the historical significance of this date, which resulted from the self-determination of the Timorese for their independence;

Bearing in mind the desire of the 9th Constitutional Government to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of this historic milestone with various commemorations throughout the country;

Bearing in mind that this allows many people to travel to their places of origin to be with their families and celebrate this historic date;

Whereas, following Article 7(6)(d) of Law No. 10/2005, of August 10^th, as amended by Laws No. 3/2016, of May 25^th, and No. 10/2023, of April 5^th, it is the Prime Minister’s responsibility to grant day off to “officials and agents of the ministries or services dependent on them, as well as institutes and bodies integrated into the indirect administration of the State”.

Therefore, pursuant to the provisions of Article 7(2)(a) and 7(6)(d) of Law No. 10/2005, of August 10^th, as amended by Laws No. 3/2016, of May 25^th, and No. 10/2023, of April 5^th, the Prime Minister, through Order No. 13/PM/V/2025, of May 16^th, determines the following

1. A day off is granted on May 19^th, all day.
2. This order applies to all officials, agents, and workers engaged in the State’s direct administration services, whether central or decentralised, or within bodies of indirect administration.
3. The human resources of public services that, due to the nature of their activities, must remain operational during that period, are exempt from the previous paragraph.
4. Without prejudice to the continuity and quality of the public services to be provided, the top managers of the services mentioned in the previous paragraph must promote an equivalent exemption from the duty of attendance for their respective human resources on a day to be determined in due course. END