Algerians to stop working on Friday and saturday from October on

The ministerial council yesterday chaired by the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has approved the proposal the proposal presented by the labor minister Tayeb Louh concerning the change of the week end to Friday and Saturday.

• It should be noted that this request has been formulated by the Algerian Operators Forum along with the Algerian Workers Union in addition to a large number of Algerian private and national companies.
• The cabinet has also endorsed the decision concerning the tax rise on new cars.
• The Algerian Businessmen Forum Chairman has declared that the Algerian economy is suffering a loss estimated at $ 750 millions a year because the universal week end (Saturday- Sunday) is not applied.
• This loss represents the total amount of the Algerian exports outside the hydrocarbons products, he added, mentioning that everybody should be concerned by this question and has to pronounce on the matter in order to limit the damage caused by the sudden change of the week end in Algeria in 1976 for disregarding the economic downfalls of such a decision.
• The government argued its move by the fact that Algeria has to adapt to the new economic rules imposed by the globalization, hinting to the protocol accords signed with the European Union and its intent to join the World trade Organization.
• A report released by the World Bank reveals that the Algerian economy will gain 1 to 3% of GDP a year if it returns to the situation prior to 1976.