This October 28 could be the last time Slovakia moves the clocks back one hour, to switch from Summer Time to Winter Time. The government is in favour of keeping winter time once Daylight Saving Time is abolished in 2019.
The European Union will allow member states to opt for just the summer or winter time next year.
“Due to negative effects on health, we are recommending the abolishment of the biannual time changes and holding to the standard, so-called winter time which has applied to this area in the long term, and which respects the physiology of the population in our territory,” Slovakia’s labour ministry wrote in a document filed for inter-departmental review.
As reported by The Slovak Spectator, the ministry also argues that it would be good to postpone the effectiveness of this directive, as some spheres would need more time to adapt.
Slovakia has also stressed the need to apply a unified time regime to EU member states, at least among neighbouring countries in central and eastern Europe. “From the point of view of the internal market, the most important thing is for countries not to decide individually (and differently) whether to keep to winter or summer time,” the Ministry stressed, as quoted by TASR.
