Cross-party alliance waters down smoking ban in Bulgaria
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"Smoking is part of the beauty of life" (Photo: EUobserver)
When it is about politics, Bulgaria's parliament is clearly split between right and left. However, when it comes to smokers' rights, the ideological divide vanishes and bitter foes unite to defend them.
An ad hoc coalition fusing the ruling centre-right Gerb with the main opposition Socialist Party has recently watered down draft legislation, which would completely prohibit smoking in all public establishments, including cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars as from 1 June.
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A flexible option was proposed instead under which establishments larger than 100 square metres would be required to have separate rooms for smokers fitted with ventilation and the owners of smaller businesses would be able to choose between a smoking or non-smoking regime.
Prime Minister Boiko Borisov based the compromise on losses a total ban could cause to the tourist industry which has already been bitten by the economic crisis.
"Just two of a total of 27 EU countries have complete smoking bans," argued Lachezar Ivanov, the head of the parliamentary health committee.
Bulgarians, along with Greeks, are the heaviest smokers in the EU. Current legislation in Bulgaria bans smoking in public buildings like state institutions, shops, schools and hospitals. It is still legal to smoke in cafes and restaurants but their owners are required to clearly detach smoking from non-smoking areas.
"Smoking bans are inhuman," said Socialist lawmaker Andrei Pantev. "Smoking is part of the beauty of life."
