IN spite of loud protests by restaurant and cafe owners against the new smoking restrictions and the large-scale checks by inspectors from the Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute (HEI), it seems that implementation of the law continues to be uneven.
Several places were spotted by The Sofia Echo staff to be sporting door signs saying "Smokers Only", a small pub in one of the central city streets was choked by smoke on January 5 as almost all patrons along with the owner were puffing eagerly. The only ventilation was provided by the sporadic opening of the door. In another underground pub, the restrictions were not observed either; a large restaurant with two separate rooms had ashtrays on all tables. The same was the situation in a cafe visited on January 10. 
According to a report by the Sofia HEI, on the first two working days of the new year, inspectors checked 101 restaurants and cafes.
In 30 of them all regulations were strictly observed. In 71 the inspectors issued written instructions on complying with the restrictions.
HEI inspectors have also checked 22 health institutions - 16 hospitals and six polyclinics and have found no violations.
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian-language media reported of the first 50-leva fine imposed on a chef in a restaurant in Veliko Turnovo caught smoking in the kitchen.
To his protests that there was a grace period, the inspectors said that this only applied to patrons of restaurants.
HEI Varna reported that in the first three working days there had been 209 checks, mostly in restaurants and cafes, and 12 fines for 50 to 100 leva had been issued. The inspectors had issued 41 instructions.
The head of HEI Varna said that the grace period in the city had expired.