AT its December 2 meeting, the Cabinet approved a set of harsh rules banning the smoking at public places in Bulgaria.
As of January 1, 2005, smoking will be strictly forbidden in administrative and office buildings, public transportation vehicles, including aircraft, educational facilities, sports facilities, hospitals and other health facilities, restaurants, pubs, cafes, discotheques, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, art galleries, community centres, public libraries, Internet cafes, and facilities where food is produced or sold.
Both the passenger and the driver sections of buses, trams, underground railway trains and taxis, including fixed-route "marshrutki" will also be totally smoke-free.
The only exceptions are allowed in administrative and office buildings with designated smoking areas with a permanent "smoking area" sign on the door.
They have to be enclosed spaces with special ventilation systems, leading the cigarette smoke out of the building. As an exception, when it is technically impossible to build a ventilation system, natural ventilation may be used instead.
In restaurants and cafes, there has to be an enclosed area with separate ventilation system.
The designated smoking space cannot be bigger than the non-smoking place and no "smokers only" cafes or restaurants are allowed.
"The exceptions will be effective for a limited period of time, during which the attitude and conduct of smokers is expected to evolve and the public will grow to accept a comprehensive ban on smoking in indoor public and workplaces," said Health Minister Slavcho Bogoev after the Government meeting.
According to the world statistics, Bulgarians are in third place among the heaviest smoking nations, after Japan and Greece.
About 70 per cent of all Bulgarians smoke. According to the most recent statistics, in the past few years the age at which children light up their first cigarette continues to drop and currently is 14 years.
Violations of the law may be reported to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
As of January 1, 2005, smoking will be strictly forbidden in administrative and office buildings, public transportation vehicles, including aircraft, educational facilities, sports facilities, hospitals and other health facilities, restaurants, pubs, cafes, discotheques, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, art galleries, community centres, public libraries, Internet cafes, and facilities where food is produced or sold.
Both the passenger and the driver sections of buses, trams, underground railway trains and taxis, including fixed-route "marshrutki" will also be totally smoke-free.
The only exceptions are allowed in administrative and office buildings with designated smoking areas with a permanent "smoking area" sign on the door.
They have to be enclosed spaces with special ventilation systems, leading the cigarette smoke out of the building. As an exception, when it is technically impossible to build a ventilation system, natural ventilation may be used instead.
In restaurants and cafes, there has to be an enclosed area with separate ventilation system.
The designated smoking space cannot be bigger than the non-smoking place and no "smokers only" cafes or restaurants are allowed.
"The exceptions will be effective for a limited period of time, during which the attitude and conduct of smokers is expected to evolve and the public will grow to accept a comprehensive ban on smoking in indoor public and workplaces," said Health Minister Slavcho Bogoev after the Government meeting.
According to the world statistics, Bulgarians are in third place among the heaviest smoking nations, after Japan and Greece.
About 70 per cent of all Bulgarians smoke. According to the most recent statistics, in the past few years the age at which children light up their first cigarette continues to drop and currently is 14 years.
Violations of the law may be reported to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
