[size=85:3lv07uvc]novinite 03 May 2010

Bulgaria's Oldest Restaurant Institutes Full Smoking Ban

The management of one of Bulgaria's oldest and most popular restaurants in downtown Sofia - (Crimea) has decided to impose full smoking ban inside the establishment.

The management sent a letter to the media notifying that beginning June 1, 2010, smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building, except in the outside garden tables and despite the recent decision by the parliamentary majority from the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party to eliminate the full smoking ban voted by the previous Parliament and supposed to become effective in the beginning of June. The ban was postponed for an undetermined time period and the current orders to have separate smoking and non-smoking rooms remained.

The decision was made unanimously. We are convinced it is the right one and we hope our example would be followed by other restaurant owners, the press release reads.

Krim,formerly the Russian Club, is situated he very heart of Sofia, inside one of the most beautiful buildings in Bulgaria's capital.

It dates from 1910 and was built by Teodor Teodorov - a distinguished Russophile, Member of the Parliament and Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Over the years the restaurant kept its fame of being one of the top attractions for bohemians in Sofia. Its regular guests included and include famous authors, artists, actors, musicians, politicians and sport stars. Ornella Mutti, Barbara de Rossi, Catherine Deneuve, Sandrine Bonnaire, Morgan Freeman, Roy Scheider, as well as film directors- Luigi Perelli, Claude Brasseur, Krzysztof Zanussi, Nikita Mikhalkov and Andrei Konchalovsky have all dined there.

Admin wrote:

[size=85:28x78mf5]novinite 03 May 2010

Bulgaria's Oldest Restaurant Institutes Full Smoking Ban

The management of one of Bulgaria's oldest and most popular restaurants in downtown Sofia - (Crimea) has decided to impose full smoking ban inside the establishment.

The management sent a letter to the media notifying that beginning June 1, 2010, smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building, except in the outside garden tables and despite the recent decision by the parliamentary majority from the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party to eliminate the full smoking ban voted by the previous Parliament and supposed to become effective in the beginning of June. The ban was postponed for an undetermined time period and the current orders to have separate smoking and non-smoking rooms remained.

The decision was made unanimously. We are convinced it is the right one and we hope our example would be followed by other restaurant owners, the press release reads.

Krim,formerly the Russian Club, is situated he very heart of Sofia, inside one of the most beautiful buildings in Bulgaria's capital.

It dates from 1910 and was built by Teodor Teodorov - a distinguished Russophile, Member of the Parliament and Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Over the years the restaurant kept its fame of being one of the top attractions for bohemians in Sofia. Its regular guests included and include famous authors, artists, actors, musicians, politicians and sport stars. Ornella Mutti, Barbara de Rossi, Catherine Deneuve, Sandrine Bonnaire, Morgan Freeman, Roy Scheider, as well as film directors- Luigi Perelli, Claude Brasseur, Krzysztof Zanussi, Nikita Mikhalkov and Andrei Konchalovsky have all dined there.

Good for them. I hope their business increases, but looking at their standard of clients I don't think I will be taking the wife there for a slap-up meal, :Food:but like they say I also hope that other's will follow their example

In Engand when the smoking ban was introduced.there was more people outside in the smoking are than in the bar,the mind boggles

and will be the same here....

When they introduced a smoking ban in Greece no one took any notice. In fact we were in a restaurant in Rhodes people were blatantly smoking inside. Can you imagine the Bulgarians doing the same, I can.

Mind you I agree with the the no smoking policy but being a realist I cannot see it working here

mickhev wrote:

In Engand when the smoking ban was introduced.there was more people outside in the smoking are than in the bar,the mind boggles

But the sales never went down as they always had a pint glass in the other hand, and when they finished their fag they went inside got another pint, then went back outside and lit up another fag, so everybody inside the pub were enjoying their drink in a smoke free zone and all the smokers were enjoying their fag with their pint in the smoke zone. So everybody is happy
::

mickhev wrote:

In England when the smoking ban was introduced.there was more people outside in the smoking are than in the bar,the mind boggles

I think your right mickhev but I also think that in Bulgaria to enforce this is another matter lets face it Bulgarians flaunt the law in every other avenue

I must agree with you Kyrpton but so do the Greeks. It is their national game to avoid paying Taxes and just look where they are now

[size=55:1esrt6m7]novinite 12 October 2010

EC to Introduce Smoking Ban in All EU Countries

he European Commission is planning to ban smoking in public places in all EU member states, EU observer has announced.

The EU Health Commissioner, John Dalli, has stated that he wanted to put a stop to the different standards in the different EU countries.

"
We need a complete ban on smoking in all public places, transport and the workplace,"
he said in an interview for the German daily Die Welt.

Dalli announced that Brussels was preparing a bill, which would be brought forward next year. According to him, exceptions should not be tolerated because "
it is not about the health of visitors, but also the employees."


The EC will also try to create rules on making tobacco products less visible to customers and making their packaging as unattractive as possible.

The packets would appear identical and would have colourful warning pictures, such as of diseased lungs, as well as more information on the toxins the product contains.

The smoking ban had different levels of success in the different EU member states. In Belgium, people are still allowed to smoke in establishments that do not serve food.

The Greek Health Minister, Andreas Loverdos, has admitted a failure of the 2009 smoking ban, saying that eight out of ten bars openly violated the law.

In Bulgaria, after being in force just for three days, the full smoking ban, adopted by the previous parliament, was officially abolished as of June 4 with the reason that the relaxation of the ban would avoid hurting the tourist industry during tough economic times.

Bulgaria ranks second after Greece in the EU in terms of number of regular smokers as a percentage of the population, according to a Eurobarometer survey.

According to the EU observer, smoking kills about 650,000 Europeans every year.

[size=55:1nowkema]novinite

Bulgarian Cabinet Approves Indoors Smoking Restrictions

Smoking restrictions in public spaces in Bulgaria are going to become effective in the beginning of 2011, according to amendments of the Health Act, dating from the beginning of 2010.

The cabinet approved Wednesday the Health Ministry's order about rules for indoor smoking in public and work spaces.

The previous, Socialist-led Three-Way Coalition cabinet passed a full smoking ban that was to become effective on July 1, 2010, but it was postponed by the current cabinet of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party.

Smoking spaces inside restaurants, coffee shops and bars, in commercial and administrative buildings and in rail road stations, and airports, must have walls and tight-closing doors and good ventilation equipment.

Owners of coffee shops and restaurants with less than 50 square meters have the right to decide themselves if the establishment will be a smoking or entirely non-smoking space. In case smoking is allowed, individuals under the age of 18 would not be admitted as they are banned from smoking in all indoors spaces.

In larger establishments, at least 50% of the space must be dedicated to non-smokers.

In night clubs, smoking will be allowed at all times regardless of how large they are.

After January 1, 2011, open-space coffee shops and restaurants inside shopping malls would become non-smoking facilities.

Owners face fines for inadequate ventilation and lack of sings designating the non-smoking sections and the smoking ban for those under 18.

The checks of health inspectors will begin as soon as the new rules become effective. Fines for owners range from BGN 500 to BGN 10 000.

Individuals, who violate the ban, would also face fines, but only if they agree to provide their ID card.

I am amazed when we are in a restaurant the middle of a meal and someone lits up, and eating their meal in between puffs This has happened twice, but I had to say something - This year I noticed they just got up whilst in the middle of the meal and went outside the restaurant and lit up then came back and finish the meal.

When we meet people for coffee in an outside bar they have coffee and about 6 cigs usually one after another.

Oddy

oddball wrote:

When we meet people for coffee in an outside bar they have coffee and about 6 cigs usually one after another.

You've met me then

oddball wrote:

I am amazed when we are in a restaurant the middle of a meal and someone lits up, and eating their meal in between puffs This has happened twice, but I had to say something - This year I noticed they just got up whilst in the middle of the meal and went outside the restaurant and lit up then came back and finish the meal.

When we meet people for coffee in an outside bar they have coffee and about 6 cigs usually one after another.

Oddy

Restrictions on smoking in public areas, which were introduced through amendments to the Health Act, will take effect at the beginning of 2011, according to a regulation on indoor smoking in public and working places approved by the Cabinet on November 3 2010.

The decision comes several months after the Cabinet suspended a complete ban on smoking in public areas, which had been planned to come into effect in the middle of 2010.

Smoking areas inside restaurants and cafes, commercial and administrative buildings, railroad stations and airports, should be equipped with walls, tight-closing doors and ventilation systems.

The decision on whether to adopt the smoking ban in cafes and restaurants which have areas of up to 50 sq m will be up to the owners. If smoking is allowed, people younger than 18 will not be allowed into the establishment.

Larger establishments will be required to designate separate smoking areas of less than 50 per cent of the total space.

Smoking will not be restricted in night clubs irrespective of the size of the venue.

Owners who do not obey the regulations will be liable to fines from 500 to 10 000 leva.

Source: Dnevnik.bg

Here we go again, same old story, different day. If people want to chain smoke and kill themselves, that's their choice
As a non-smoker I welcome the day when I can have a meal in Bulgaria and enjoy it. :Food:Live and let live because we are a log time dead

Being an ex chain smoker I can understand that some people like a fag with their meals

But as I do not preach to those that do smoke I also believe that they should abide with the law. I am not sure that this so called smoking ban will work in BG as there is also a ban in Greece and to be honest I'm not sure who polices the ban but no one takes any notice. I think that you might notice a slight difference in the winter, but the suggestion of self contained smoking areas is total nonsense. The Bulgarian people were told what to do in times of Communism they will not be bossed about now.

tonyb60 wrote:

Being an ex chain smoker I can understand that some people like a fag with their meals

But as I do not preach to those that do smoke I also believe that they should abide with the law. I am not sure that this so called smoking ban will work in BG as there is also a ban in Greece and to be honest I'm not sure who polices the ban but no one takes any notice. I think that you might notice a slight difference in the winter, but the suggestion of self contained smoking areas is total nonsense. The Bulgarian people were told what to do in times of Communism they will not be bossed about now.

Totally agree Tony, won't work here, just like it doesn't work in Russia and you're quite right about the "
bossed about"
thing.

Regards, George