Major International Conference "Bulgaria in the Eurozone, When?" Will Take Place on May 14 in Sofia
The event will bring together esteemed local and international leaders such as Wolfgang Schüssel, former Chancellor of Austria
Bulgarians, who are firmly against the ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces, enforced as of June 1 last year, are bracing up to form a party to defend their rights.
The initiative has been spearheaded by popular movie stars Andrey Slabakov and Djoko Rosic, jazz singer Hilda Kazasyan, opera and pop singer Orlin Goranov, professor Milan Milanov from Sofia emergency hospital Pirogov.
The popular tobacco addicts have already pooled efforts in a civil organization, named "National Association of the Free People". They warn however they are ready to form a party and vie for MP seats, relying on the support of more than 2 million Bulgarians.
The association plans to hold a new massive rally on February 1 in front of the parliament, aimed to raise awareness of smokers' rights and the difficulties that small and medium-sized enterprises face after the ban was introduced in cafes, bars and restaurants, regardless of size.
Slabakov, a passionate chain-smoker, argues that the ban on smoking was approved not without the assistance and financial support of drug cartels.
"Humans are not angels. Once you uproot one vice, there is more free room for another one to take root. I am absolutely sure that drug cartels are pouring money for this ban to be introduced. Have you noticed that over the last 15 years talk about drugs is not so popular, while cigarettes have gained the reputation of the biggest scourge of mankind?," Slabakov fumed in May last year n an interview on TV 7.
Meanwhile experts have warned that Bulgaria's organized crime will see their old favorite - illegal cigarette sales - boom after smoking was banned in all enclosed public spaces.
The full smoking ban in closed public spaces was to be enforced in 2010, but was postponed by the government with the argument that it might harm the country's tourism.
According to the latest data, approximately 39% of Bulgarians are smokers. Some 60% are said to be in favor of the introduction of a full smoking ban in closed public spaces.
Bulgaria's crack-down on smokers date back to 2005, when a partial smoking ban was introduced only to be widely ignored.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Bulgaria has updated its immunization calendar, granting general practitioners the authority to administer whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines to newborns two weeks earlier than before, starting at six weeks after birth
In a significant move that reverberates across the global vaccination landscape, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced a worldwide recall of its COVID-19 vaccine
Eurostat, the European Union's statistics agency, unveiled alarming findings regarding Bulgaria's COVID-19 mortality rates in 2021, shedding light on the nation's sobering position atop the EU's death rate chart
Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev ordered the cancellation of the Council of Ministers' decision to establish the private Mom and Me Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment in Sofia, the government press service said on Saturday.
Bulgaria is set to establish its emergency air assistance service by the end of May, marking a significant step forward in the country's healthcare infrastructure
New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores concerns over the global surge in antibiotic usage during the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially exacerbating the silent threat of antimicrobial resistance.
Sofia Airport's Terminal 3 Construction Set to Begin in Early 2026
COVID-19 Impact: Bulgaria's Grim Milestone as Highest Death Rate in EU