Senators come up with exceptions to the smoking ban in Romania

Smoking will be allowed in special rooms and even on covered patios, according to several changes made by the senators in the Judicial Committee to the law that bans smoking in enclosed public spaces. The senators have redefined the enclosed public spaces where smoking is banned as the spaces that have walls all around. In the current law version, smoking is banned in all public spaces that have a roof and at least two walls. “The enclosed public space definition that applies today says that if a space has two walls and a roof, be it a terrace at the seaside, you’re not allowed to smoke there. I think it’s a bit too much,” said liberal senator Catalin Boboc, the president of the Senate’s Judicial Committee, according to Mediafax. The senators have also proposed an amendment that allows smoking in special rooms that are used exclusively for smoking and smoking associated activities such as drinking coffee and hot or cold beverages. All the senators in the Judicial Committee supported these amendments. The smoking ban in all enclosed public spaces became effective on March 17. As a result, smoking was banned in hotels, restaurants, clubs, pubs, bars, as well as public institutions and work places. All smokers had to go outside to light up their cigarettes. This has also led to some problems for bar and restaurant owners, for example. “We have received petitions from club owners in the Old Town who complained that they had clients who didn’t pay their bills because they went out to smoke and didn’t return,” said senator Steliana Miron, who initiated the amendments. editor@romania-insider.com