Minister Okoliyski Calls for Effective Smoking Ban and Limiting Tobacco Industry Interference

Caretaker Health Minister Michail Okoliyski advocated for implementing a comprehensive smoking ban and curtailing the influence of the tobacco industry during a roundtable discussion in Sofia. The event, titled “For improved tobacco control and effective implementation of the WHO Framework Convention and Bulgarian legislation,” was initiated by the minister and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Bulgaria. Minister Okoliyski stressed the need to enforce the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and related national laws.

Given the current legislative impasse, he submitted a letter to the President, all ministries, and institutions outlining two key actions: establishing genuinely enforceable smoking bans and mitigating tobacco industry interference. He highlighted that industry influence, often subtle, necessitates recognizing that tobacco companies should not be partners of the Ministry of Health. He contrasted Bulgaria’s rising tobacco use rates with declining trends across the EU, noting that approximately 40% of the population smokes.

The minister expressed concern over high rates among youth and the disproportionately higher smoking rates among young women. Okoliyski attributed years of neglect to powerful tobacco interests, citing instances of media purchases promoting unverified claims about heated tobacco products. Participants echoed these concerns.

Pavel Antonov, co-founder of “Bulgaria Without Smoke,” noted significant gaps in the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention in Bulgaria. Dr. Gergana Geshanova emphasized insufficient prevention funding and the persistent influence of tobacco advertising, including sponsorship allowances.

The consensus among the experts, including the minister, was the necessity of stronger regulatory measures to protect public health policies from commercial interests.

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