Bulgaria - weakened smoking ban, just added minors can't be in disco clubs after 10pm..

Photo by Sofia Photo Agency



May 22, 2010 - Bulgaria's parliament delayed on Thursday, May 20th its conclusive [final] vote on the ruling-party proposal to water down a new smoking ban in the country after a ridiculous gaffe. Following an apparent misunderstanding of the texts put to vote, the MPs (members of parliament) allowed youngsters under 18 to enter disco and night clubs, but barred their access to restaurants and coffee shops, whose owners allow smoking. The gaffe forced MPs from the center-right majority to suspend the vote and convene a meeting of the health commission to solve the issue. (Bulgaria - final vote delayed on weakened smoking ban..)

Now the Bulgaria's parliament has unexpectedly banned minors' access to disco clubs after 10 pm, even if they are accompanied by an older friend or relative. Without debates, the MPs conclusively voted yes to the ruling-party proposal to water down a new smoking ban in the country, which will come into force on June 2 2010.

Under the adopted amendments smoking will be allowed in separate smoking spaces inside restaurants, bars, coffee shops, railroad stations, airports, ports, and bus stations. The owners of restaurants, clubs and coffee shops with an area less than 50 square meters, should decide if smoking would be allowed.

The draft legislation has surprisingly managed to fuse the ruling center-right GERB with the main opposition Socialist Party. The ad hoc coalition claims that the proposed relaxation of a ban on smoking in all public places would avoid hurting the tourist industry during tough economic times. Similar measures were imposed as part of a partial smoking ban in 2005 but have been widely ignored.

Reference: Bulgaria Bars Minors from Smoking Clubs, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), 5/21/2010.

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