From Novinite

Bulgaria's cigarette market decreased by more than 35 per cent to 10.6 billion pieces in 2010, according to domestic tobacco companies' figures.

In 2009, sales were 16 billion pieces, and in 2009, 19 billion.

"
The main reason behind the sharp shrinkage of the market is smuggling, followed by restrictions on smoking,"
representatives of major tobacco producer Bulgartabac said.

The company, together with Philip Morris Bulgaria, British American Tobacco Bulgaria, Japan Tobacco International Bulgaria and Imperial Tobacco are members of an informal alliance to fight illegal cigarette sales in the country.

According to Customs Agency estimates, Bulgaria's shadow cigarette market has reached about 40 per cent, or nearly seven billion pieces.

The decrease in official sales was mainly due to the 32 per cent drop in number of cigarettes sold by Bulgartabac's factories in Blagoevgrad and Sofia, equivalent to a decrease of 280 million leva.