One day off has been declared in Kabardino-Balkaria on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.
May 27 has been declared a non-working day in Kabardino-Balkaria in connection with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on May 18, authorities in Dagestan declared May 27, 28, and 29 non-working days in connection with the celebration of Eid al-Adha, which this year falls on Wednesday, May 27. Thus, the republic will have five consecutive days off, including Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31. The days from May 27 to 29 have also been declared non-working in Chechnya.
Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bayram) – the Feast of Sacrifice commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim's decision to sacrifice his son. It falls on the tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, which marks the completion of the Hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca. Meat from animals sacrificed during Eid al-Adha is traditionally shared with the poor, as well as with relatives and friends.
Kabardino-Balkaria Governor Kazbek Kokov has declared Eid al-Adha a non-working day in the republic. The non-working day will only be one day, according to a decree posted today on the regional government's website.
"In connection with the appeal of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, I decree: to declare May 27, 2026, a non-working day in the KBR," the decree states.
On May 14, the first Hajj flight to Saudi Arabia departed from Nalchik International Airport. Nalchik Airport is planning approximately 14 flights, including return flights, and will transport nearly 3,000 pilgrims in May and June, including 700 from Kabardino-Balkaria, according to Kabardino-Balkaria state television.
The flight program is designed not only for residents of Kabardino-Balkaria: direct flights will be available to pilgrims from Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol Krai, Crimea, and other regions affected by air travel restrictions and the situation in the Persian Gulf. Additional flights have been organized for them.
Pilgrimage to the Muslim holy sites in Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim who has reached adulthood and is able to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime is required to do so. The pilgrimage to Mecca typically occurs at the beginning of the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar. There is also a so-called "lesser hajj"—Umrah.