Czech Republic: ODS Opposes Total Smoking Ban in Restaurants

Source from:  Prague Daily Monitor (cz)  03/27/2013

The leadership of the Czech senior government Civic Democratic Party (ODS) disagrees with a total ban on smoking in restaurants as proposed by Health Minister Leos Heger (TOP 09), ODS deputy chairwoman Miroslava Nemcova said after a meeting of the party's executive council yesterday.
 
Heger recently conceded he expects his effort to ban smoking in restaurants to meet with opposition.
 
Nemcova said the ODS executive council recommends to its representatives in the government and parliament that they should not support such a curtailment of private entities' ownership rights.
 
"If the bill does not make it through, nothing can be done. However, if only three-quarters of it make it through, it will be progress," Heger said on public Czech Television (CT) on Sunday.
 
The bill also counts with a ban on the sales of tobacco and alcohol in dispenser machines and mobile shops, Heger said.
 
It bans producers from adding vitamins to cigarettes.
 
The bill provides for the introduction of a fine of up to one million crowns to be imposed on those selling alcohol or cigarettes to people under 18 years of age.
 
Those selling these commodities to children under 15 could be fined up to two million crowns.
 
The government is to debate Heger's bill in April.
 
($1=19.889 crowns) Enditem