Holidays in Croatia 2010: ban for smoking in bars

By the summer of 2010 Croatia has prepared a number of surprises. Among them are both pleasant, such as visa requirement for citizens of Russia, and innovations that will not please every tourist. This season Croatia is preparing to ban smoking in bars from 9 April 2010. It will be the second attempt for Croatia to enter the restriction on smoking in public places.

For the first time Croatia tried to ban smoking in restaurants and bars in May 2009. Then the authorities were determined. However, losses of the Adriatic pearl from the new measures in the tourist and restaurant industry as well as the impossibility for many small bars to bring the premises into compliance with new requirements forced the government to suspend the new law. It was decided to postpone the entry of the law into force until April 9, 2010.

Croatia with all forces is hurrying into the EU. It is shown by active preparations for accession to the Schengen agreement (non-visa regime for certain countries, including Russia, ends in 2011) and a number of relatively unpopular measures, which include a ban on smoking. Most EU countries have already introduced such a moratorium and expect the same from the candidate countries. Croatia, of course, seeks to justify the confidence.

Under the new law all bars of Croatia, the area of which exceeds 50 meters will be required to organize zones for smokers and nonsmokers, as well as to improve the ventilation system. Bars of less than 50 meters will be able to choose whether they are non-smokers or smoking bars. In the latter case the owners will have to invest in ventilation as well as to get permission to work in the Croatian Ministry of Health.

As for smokers who intend to ignore the law, it provides for severe penalties. A visitor smoking in a prohibited place will have to pay 2100 euros. The fine for the owner of the restaurant could be up to 21000 euros.

One way or another, Croatian barmen are not hurrying to get "smoke" licenses. On the eve of the summer season bars expect to offer smoking services on the open terraces. As expected the main influx of seekers for a license would be in autumn.