Bulgarian PM Hopes Smoking Ban Will Survive

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has expressed his hope that the Parliament will resist the temptation to lift the full smoking ban in enclosed public spaces.

The smoking ban survived on Thursday, as the parliamentary committee on health unanimously voted against lifting it.

However, the parliamentary committee on economy is to discuss lifting the ban next week.

"It has to be written down in capital letters – I do not back an amendment to the anti-smoking bill," Borisov has told the Council of Ministers.

However, he has noted that "some exceptions or improvements may be made."

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.