[Vision2020] Choice in Croatia

[Wayne Price]

In Croatia there is CHOICE that is forbidden here in Moskow!




ZAGREB (Reuters) – The Croatian government moved on Thursday to loosen  
a controversial public smoking ban enforced only four months ago,  
after cafe owners complained it was crippling business.
According to a new proposal, due in parliament later this month,  
smoking in cafes will be allowed in special spaces that must be larger  
than 10 square meters (12 sq yards) but must not cover more than 20  
percent of the overall premises.
The cafes unable to meet those conditions will be able to cater for  
smokers if they secure a proper ventilation system, a change likely to  
be welcomed by the country's more than one million smokers, or almost  
25 percent of the population.
The smoking ban remains in force for restaurants, hospitals, schools  
and airports.
Cafe and restaurant owners launched a petition in June, at the start  
of the summer tourist season, demanding changes to the law, enforced  
in May, which they said was hurting business already weakened by a  
recession.
Health Minister Darko Milinovic told a cabinet session the changes  
were jointly drafted by the guild of cafe and restaurant owners and  
the tourism ministry.
"We are not changing the law under pressure and we remain committed to  
preserving the health of Croat citizens," Milinovic said. Health  
officials say more than 13,000 people die of smoking in Croatia every  
year.
During the last four months, Croatia has been the only Balkan country  
where smoking indoors has been effectively outlawed. With the latest  
changes, the smoking regime will be almost as liberal as in the rest  
of the region.
Croatia has been severely hit by the global crisis and its economy is  
expected to shrink around five percent this year, for the first time  
in a decade.
(Reporting by Igor Ilic, editing by Paul Casciato)
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