Tobacco law stalled in Parliament; indoor smoking rises as terraces close

As outdoor seating at bars and cafés is being closed for the season, many smokers are moving back indoors because the stricter measures from the new tobacco protection law have not yet taken effect. The bill has been stuck in Parliament for months despite an announcement that it would enter into force on 1 March.

What changed during parliamentary review

The proposal, drafted by the Ministry of Health, reached a second reading in the Health Committee and was softened during the parliamentary procedure compared with the original, more restrictive draft. Instead of a blanket ban inside hospitality venues, the current text allows dedicated smoking terraces under specific technical conditions.

Those terraces would have to be open on at least two sides and have an open roof; venues must also provide a separate entrance for non-smokers. The law sets a one-year deadline for businesses to adapt their terraces to the new requirements.

Where the bill foresees full prohibition, it will apply to enclosed indoor spaces, to bus and railway stations, and to vehicles when a child is present. In front of certain public institutions smoking would be permitted only at a distance of at least 20 metres.

The draft focuses on regulating use and does not ban the manufacture, import, export or sale of tobacco products and electronic devices.

Public reaction remains mixed: some citizens oppose a smoking ban in cafés, saying they do not want to drink coffee without a cigarette, while others call for stronger measures and improved protections for non-smokers. For now, with the law stalled, winter brings more people back into indoor spaces where smoking persists.

Photo: press material from the event