Bulgarian Health Committee Upholds Full Smoking Ban

Bulgaria's full smoking ban in closed public spaces survived on Thursday, as the parliamentary committee on health unanimously voted against lifting it.

Independent MPs Kiril Gumnerov and Stoyan Ivanov had tabled amendments that would reinstate the segregated smoking areas in bars, arguing that the full smoking ban is harming the economy.

However, the committee sided with Health Minister Desislava Atanasova's firm stance against lifting the full smoking ban and rejected the lawmakers' arguments.

A number of NGOs also backed the full smoking ban.

Earlier on Thursday, some 150 people staged a protest in Sofia against the proposed easing of the full ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces.

Beginning December 15, the managers of Bulgarian bars, restaurants and coffee shops will allow smoking in their establishments despite the full smoking ban being effective in the country.