Bulgaria's organized crime will see their old favorite - illegal cigarette sales - boom after smoking is banned in all enclosed public spaces as of June 1, an expert has warned.
The smoking ban will come into force in Bulgaria as of June 1 2012 and will be applied also in cafes, bars and restaurants, regardless of size.
"The ban on smoking in all enclosed public places will lead to an even greater increase in cigarette smuggling and will weaken the flow of revenues to the budget," argues Tihomir Bezlov, an expert from the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD).
He pointed out that taxes from tobacco products account for 10% of budget revenues (compared with about 1.4% in many other EU countries), which makes the country's finances highly dependent on that market.
