Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste

Ninth Constitutional Government

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

December 10^th, 2025

Press Release

 Day off on December 24^th (afternoon) and 26^th, 2025, and January 2^nd, 2026

Given that December 25^th is Christmas Day and January 1st is New Year’s Day, respectively;

Given that these dates are explicitly enshrined in Article 2(1)(a) and (m) of Law No. 10/2005 of August 10^th, amended by Laws No. 3/2016 of May 25^th and No. 10/2023 of April 5^th, as fixed national holidays;

Given that Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are traditionally celebrated with family;

Given that it is traditional for many people to travel away from their places of residence during the Christmas and New Year period to attend family gatherings;

Given the tradition that has been observed over the years, granting days off during this period in public services;

Given that it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to grant days off to “employees and agents of ministries or departments dependent on them, as well as institutes and bodies integrated into the indirect administration of the State”;

Thus,

Pursuant to the provisions of 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, the Prime Minister hereby determine the following:

1. Day off is granted:

i. On December 24^th, 2025, from 12 noon onwards;

ii. On December 26^th, 2025, all day;

iii. On January 2^nd, 2026, all day.

This order applies to all civil servants, agents, and workers engaged in activities within the direct administration of the State, whether centralised or decentralised, or in bodies of indirect administration.

Human resources in public services that, due to the nature of their activities, must remain operational during that period are exempt from the previous paragraph.

Without prejudice to maintaining the continuity and quality of the public service to be provided, the senior managers of the services referred to in the previous paragraph shall promote the equivalent exemption from the duty of attendance for their respective human resources, on a date to be established in due course. END