Tobacco smoking ban amendment tabled

Bulgaria’s Socialist Party, part of the ruling coalition, has tabled an amendment to the Health Act that would ease the ban on tobacco smoking in enclosed public places, according to a Novinite story.

The draft amendment has been signed by nine Socialist members of parliament in a move that is seen in some quarters as highly controversial but that has the support of people working in sectors hurt by the ban.

If the amendment were passed, the ban would become a restriction in night clubs, restaurants, cafés, bars, airports and casinos that could provide designated, separate smoking areas.

The smoking ban was introduced in June last year by the GERB government of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

Spas Panchev, deputy chair of the parliamentary group of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, said last week that the full smoking ban in enclosed public places had to be dropped before winter.

This sparked a wide public debate on the issue.

President Rosen Plevneliev has threatened to veto the amendment if it is passed by parliament.