As of Nov. 11, smoking is prohibited in Serbia in all closed public spaces and at work. Fines for violation are RSD5,000 for individuals and between RSD500,000 and RSD1 million for legal entities.

The Law on the protection of the population from tobacco smoke was adopted on May 5 this year and it prohibits smoking in all state institutions.

Full implementation of the Law on protection of citizens from exposure to tobacco smoke starts. Smoking ban foreseen in all public and working places.

Smoking will be absolutely banned, without a possibility to have a separate room for it, in state administration and local self-government, health institutions, all educational, social and children protection institutions, cultural institutions, sports objects and all the other places where people gather and where meetings are being held, as well as in public transportation.

Smoking will be banned in all media working areas, places where the shows are being shot, even if there are restaurants or buffets, while, for example, institutions, such as banks, may have a spare room for smoking.

In other institutions it will be permitted to have a separate room which must be labelled and a number of people the room can fit must be defined and which must have a good ventilation system.

An exception for having a separate is foreseen for institutions of social protection for accommodation of paralyzed and partly paralyzed persons, special hospitals for psychiatric patients’ treatment, institutions and wards for palliative care, as well as prison wards.

Cafes are excluded from that law and their owners, depending on the size, can decide whether they will be smoking or no-smoking areas. If they are larger than 80 square meters, the space can be divided to smoking and no-smoking parts, and if they are smaller, they will be able to decide whether smoking will be allowed or not.

Regarding fees, sanitary inspection will supervise all places where the smoking is banned. Fees for non-obedient companies will be between RSD 500,000 and one million, RSD 30,000 to 50,000 for a person in charge (director, owner, manager) and RSD 300,000 to 500,000 for entrepreneur. The law foresees a RSD 5,000 fee for an individual breaking the no-smoking ban.

Serbian Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic has stated that the implementation of the Law on the protection of the population against tobacco smoke is a step forward in the protection of public health and that it is not aimed at smokers and the tobacco industry.