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[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.

From Novinite

The civil movement Without Smoke (Без дим) has vowed to observe the strict application of Bulgaria's new no smoking regulation in establishments across the country, a media statement said on November 4 2010.

The Bulgarian Government withdrew Act 56 from the Healthcare Act in the summer of 2010, pertaining to the complete restriction of smoking in all public places, pubs and restaurants, replacing it with "
a more relaxed regime"
, the announcement said.

Accordingly, on November 3 2010, the Cabinet approved the ordinance, which will regulate how to manage, separate or segregate respective establishments in the future, in order for the aforementioned to provide the necessary comfort to non smoking customers.

"
We want an improved and more effective relationship with the inspectors. Furthermore, we want to have the capacity to call health officials who, while on duty, must be present at each institution and have it monitored as the new regulation stipulates,"
the Civil Movement Without Smoke statement said.

Without Smoke has vowed that it will subsequently inspect if these provisions are being heeded and properly investigated.

In December this year, Without Smoke will organise a series of events with the support of NGOs and "
leading experts in the field of pulmonary diseases"
, which aim to educate people on the dangers and hazards of smoking.

Finally, Without Smoke has provided information on its website, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], a list of establishments which have been categorised as "
law abiding"
. Non smokers are thus advised to check the list, if they want to go to a place where "
they can feel comfortable"
.

===============================================================================

These people will be well loved in Bulgaria

[size=55:32og0w7n]EkipNews.bg 18 November 2010

Regulations on smoking in public places



New regulation on the terms and conditions under which permitted smoking in enclosed public places was adopted a few days ago. The new rules will come into force until the end of the year and the Regional Inspectorates for Protection and Control of Public Health began mass checks by January 2011.

In catering and entertainment, in which consumption rooms have an area of less than 50 square meters, the owner must decide whether his customers are smokers or smoking. And in a larger area to have two rooms separated by a door, this state adopted the day before new rules on smoking are not public.

"
Our restaurant brand architecture is able to separate these areas-smoking and smoking because it is on two floors with separate bars. If I had a choice at that level of mentality in Bulgaria, with a tendency to abuse of tobacco, would prefer a smoking restaurant because it is a major part of the contingent, "
said Dimitar Filev-bar owner.

Owners of establishments and must strictly follow one of their customers do not fall under 18 years, and parents with small children.

On monday a smoking ban has been applied in all of our village bars.Is this happening anywhere else??? Any info would be great as to whether this is to all bars/Licensed premises.I heard a rumor that if a bar was under a certain m2 this may not apply.

I was in 9 restaurants/bars today in Dobrich. Nothing has changed in any of them since December 2004 - there are smoking sections and no-smoking sections. None of them have gone "
no-smoking"
.

ABC Property Surveyors.BG wrote:

On monday a smoking ban has been applied in all of our village bars.Is this happening anywhere else??? Any info would be great as to whether this is to all bars/Licensed premises.I heard a rumor that if a bar was under a certain m2 this may not apply.

Village bars may be different.

Rgds., George.

Here in Turkey the law forbidding smoking in bars came in on April 1st this year, bars and restaurants have suffered ever since. The police do regular checks and bars have been charged the equivalent of 2000 Lev. This Winter has seen many bars and restaurants close that normally stay open, but I believe this is due to so many Brits leaving the country to live elsewhere. Christmas and New Years Eve will be very quiet this year, the few of us that are left will gather in a handful of bars.

Hi Itchyfeet,

It's really good to get a report of things going on in Turkey from people of intelligence and insight rather than some papier-mache melange from the DT. Sad to hear so many are leaving, but there it is. As a smoker, I am still all in favour of smoking bars. It may well kill me, but that is not the point - the point is freedom of action if it does not affect others. You may well find that in Bulgaria, all this freedom will be eroded severely very soon. We may all have to move to Albania.

coriolanus wrote:

Hi Itchyfeet,

It's really good to get a report of things going on in Turkey from people of intelligence and insight rather than some papier-mache melange from the DT. Sad to hear so many are leaving, but there it is. As a smoker, I am still all in favour of smoking bars. It may well kill me, but that is not the point - the point is freedom of action if it does not affect others. You may well find that in Bulgaria, all this freedom will be eroded severely very soon. We may all have to move to Albania.

Many thanks for the compliments, my head is swelling as I write this. I am a smoker as well and don't take too kindly to someone ordering me about, something to do with my age I think! Nevertheless, I see nothing wrong with having a "
Smoking Room"
and a "
Non Smoking Room"
this surely, would keep everyone happy. Here in Turkey of course they all smoke their heads off, that's the men of course, the women are too busy cleaning, cooking and doing everything for their man to have time for anything. At the present time men can be seen outside the tea houses playing cards, Okey game and backgammon, they sit there all day with three layers of clothes on in effort to stop hyperthermia and rigor mortus from setting in. Sorry to hear that BG will be eroding freedom in the next few years, how much does it cost to live in Albania, are houses cheap!!!!

itchyfeet wrote:

coriolanus wrote:

Hi Itchyfeet,

It's really good to get a report of things going on in Turkey from people of intelligence and insight rather than some papier-mache melange from the DT. Sad to hear so many are leaving, but there it is. As a smoker, I am still all in favour of smoking bars. It may well kill me, but that is not the point - the point is freedom of action if it does not affect others. You may well find that in Bulgaria, all this freedom will be eroded severely very soon. We may all have to move to Albania.

Many thanks for the compliments, my head is swelling as I write this. I am a smoker as well and don't take too kindly to someone ordering me about, something to do with my age I think! Nevertheless, I see nothing wrong with having a "
Smoking Room"
and a "
Non Smoking Room"
this surely, would keep everyone happy. Here in Turkey of course they all smoke their heads off, that's the men of course, the women are too busy cleaning, cooking and doing everything for their man to have time for anything. At the present time men can be seen outside the tea houses playing cards, Okey game and backgammon, they sit there all day with three layers of clothes on in effort to stop hyperthermia and rigor mortus from setting in. Sorry to hear that BG will be eroding freedom in the next few years, how much does it cost to live in Albania, are houses cheap!!!!

Something to do with my age as well, I suspect :)) And yes, nothing wrong with smoking rooms for those that want to do that. I have not been to Turkey, but believe they may well smoke more here in Bulgaria - I've been to many countries and not seen one where they smoke as much as here, including women.

I like your "
rigor mortis"
comment

Albania was cheap a few years ago, but I believe the infrastructure amy be somewhat lacking [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

itchyfeet wrote:

coriolanus wrote:

Hi Itchyfeet,

It's really good to get a report of things going on in Turkey from people of intelligence and insight rather than some papier-mache melange from the DT. Sad to hear so many are leaving, but there it is. As a smoker, I am still all in favour of smoking bars. It may well kill me, but that is not the point - the point is freedom of action if it does not affect others. You may well find that in Bulgaria, all this freedom will be eroded severely very soon. We may all have to move to Albania.

Many thanks for the compliments, my head is swelling as I write this. I am a smoker as well and don't take too kindly to someone ordering me about, something to do with my age I think! Nevertheless, I see nothing wrong with having a "
Smoking Room"
and a "
Non Smoking Room"
this surely, would keep everyone happy. Here in Turkey of course they all smoke their heads off, that's the men of course, the women are too busy cleaning, cooking and doing everything for their man to have time for anything. At the present time men can be seen outside the tea houses playing cards, Okey game and backgammon, they sit there all day with three layers of clothes on in effort to stop hyperthermia and rigor mortus from setting in. Sorry to hear that BG will be eroding freedom in the next few years, how much does it cost to live in Albania, are houses cheap!!!!

Something to do with my age as well, I suspect :)) And yes, nothing wrong with smoking rooms for those that want to do that. I have not been to Turkey, but believe they may well smoke more here in Bulgaria - I've been to many countries and not seen one where they smoke as much as here, including women.

I like your "
rigor mortis"
comment

Albania was cheap a few years ago, but I believe the infrastructure may be somewhat lacking [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yep got it sussed now.luckily we still have a bar and a restaurant (Salmonella's) that are under 50m2.We just have to change the venue under protest! Well at least until a partition goes up......

A bar/restaurant called "
Salmonella"
- you gotta love that :Very funny 2:Mind you I didn't when I had salmonella on Malta a few years ago. Took me weeks and weeks to recover from that.

That's what we call it with good reason.He has only owned it for 20 years and still can't cook.Can't even get chips! The owner used to run a canteen in Popovo and his nickname by the bulgarian workers was poison! I do not jest! He hasn't killed any of us yet though! He's such a nice friendly old boy that you can't help but go there....

Goodness knows what his toast and boiled egg would be like then!!! Hammer and chisel provided by the management!!

Hi Itchyfeet,

No eggs but bread with your Pajola's.If it's a day old it's toasted.Hopefully no one has ordered the grilled mackerel as your bread ends up being toasted on the same grill! Nothing like toast with scorch lines,the essence of dead fish,vegetable oil on it and topped with a little Sharon salt when you are eating your pork! I do not joke! It took nearly 12 months to get it across that we like our meat cooked properly.he's getting the hang of it now.

Might be a Business idea this one! I could do trips to Salmonella's and if you are still well/alive a few days later we'll put you a "
We Survived Sam's!"
T-Shirt in the post! Is eating at this kind of establishment classed as a "
Extreme Sport"
? Might even E-Mail the Jack-Ass boys to see if they are interested!

ABC Property Surveyors.BG wrote:

Hi Itchyfeet,

No eggs but bread with your Pajola's.If it's a day old it's toasted.Hopefully no one has ordered the grilled mackerel as your bread ends up being toasted on the same grill! Nothing like toast with scorch lines,the essence of dead fish,vegetable oil on it and topped with a little Sharon salt when you are eating your pork! I do not joke! It took nearly 12 months to get it across that we like our meat cooked properly.he's getting the hang of it now.

Might be a Business idea this one! I could do trips to Salmonella's and if you are still well/alive a few days later we'll put you a "
We Survived Sam's!"
T-Shirt in the post! Is eating at this kind of establishment classed as a "
Extreme Sport"
? Might even E-Mail the Jack-Ass boys to see if they are interested!

Hmm....you make it sound like a culinary experience you can't do without. I still think I'll pass. Get the Americans over - they are game (or fish) for anything