A DRAFT law on health care, approved by Parliament, will ban smoking in public places from 2005.
Health Minister Bozhidar Finkov said the draft law was a necessary improvement on an old and obsolete law.
MPs last week approved a ban on smoking on trains, in buses, at train and plane stations, in hotels, huts, stadiums, sports halls, theatres, cinemas, and in other public places, including student residence halls and all health care institutions.
Each restaurant will be required to have a non-smoking section.
A smoker who violates this law will face a fine of up to 5000 leva.
Finkov said there would be no fines for smoking in the streets, because streets were not regarded as public places in terms of such a law anywhere in the world.
The law also sets clear definitions of the rights and responsibilities of patients. They will have the right to more than one view in their diagnosis, and the right to informed consent, without which a patient cannot be treated if his or her life is not threatened.
Children up to 18 years of age as well as pregnant women and women who just gave birth will have free access to specialists.
The project also requires that alternative healers be subject to registration, have a high school diploma, and have passed exams in anatomy, physiology, and human pathology.
Euthanasia and cloning will be banned in Bulgaria.
Health Minister Bozhidar Finkov said the draft law was a necessary improvement on an old and obsolete law.
MPs last week approved a ban on smoking on trains, in buses, at train and plane stations, in hotels, huts, stadiums, sports halls, theatres, cinemas, and in other public places, including student residence halls and all health care institutions.
Each restaurant will be required to have a non-smoking section.
A smoker who violates this law will face a fine of up to 5000 leva.
Finkov said there would be no fines for smoking in the streets, because streets were not regarded as public places in terms of such a law anywhere in the world.
The law also sets clear definitions of the rights and responsibilities of patients. They will have the right to more than one view in their diagnosis, and the right to informed consent, without which a patient cannot be treated if his or her life is not threatened.
Children up to 18 years of age as well as pregnant women and women who just gave birth will have free access to specialists.
The project also requires that alternative healers be subject to registration, have a high school diploma, and have passed exams in anatomy, physiology, and human pathology.
Euthanasia and cloning will be banned in Bulgaria.
