Tobacco control

Bulgarian tobacco growers have vowed to take to the streets unless what they call a "smear campaign" against Bulgartabac, a major tobacco holding group in the country.

Earlier the private company announced it was halting all sales to the Middle East as of April 01, citing an alleged negative media campaign and the "sensitive situation in that region".

Shortly after the midnight on Wednesday, Alina Tronaru regretfully stubbed out her last cigarette in a restaurant.

Together with some other friends, the 32-year-old joined a "farewell" party for smokers in a fancy restaurant in downtown Bucharest.

She is not giving up smoking, however, just giving up smoking in public places.

One of the significant changes in Turkish social life under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is the smoking ban in public spaces. The first step of this ban came out in 2009, forcing all restaurants and hotels to ban smoking in all closed spaces. Many people at the time believed the ban would never work as Turkey is a heavily smoking nation. But on the whole it did.

Turkey will extend a smoking ban previously issued for indoor areas to outdoors, the Turkish health minister has announced, as President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an wages a large-scale war against the habit.

Serbia will next year enact new legislation to ban on smoking in all enclosed public places, a Belgrade-based daily is reporting.

According to Blic, this will be done through amendments to the Law on Protection of the Population from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, and will also apply to all restaurants, bars, and cafes.

The Bulgarian government has announced it will submit to Parliament amendments to tobacco legislation that will ban the sale of tobacco products "with specific flavor and aroma qualities" that mislead consumers.

At a cabinet meeting, ministers have added the changes will include new requirements for labeling and packaging tobacco products, including health warnings on the packages.

According to a market research of the five leading tobacco companies, the consumption of illicit cigarettes in Bulgaria has registered a decrease.

This was one of the conclusions drawn from the results of the survey, which were presented at a working meeting in the building of the interior ministry on Sunday.

"Parks are among the few smoke-free places here," says Larisa Marinescu, 32, pushing a stroller with her eight-month-old girl round a park in Bucharest.

"It is very difficult to find a non-smoking place to eat with a child. This is not normal," she adds.

Marinescu is one of many Romanians who are strongly opposed to smoking.

Bulgaria's parliamentary committee on budget and finance will discuss Thursday a proposed increase in the excise duty on cigarettes.

The measure is envisaged in a set of amendments to the Excise Duties and Tax Warehouses Act, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio.

As of 2016, the excise duty on cigarettes will start increasing, pushing up cigarette prices.

An official from the Turkish Presidency has shared images of cigarette boxes belonging to village heads (muhtars) who have reportedly quit smoking at the request of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, known as a fierce opponent of smokers.