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The provisions of the Law on the Reduction and Prevention of Health Damage Caused by the Use of Tobacco Products and their Substitutes, which restrict the use of tobacco and its substitutes in the public catering establishments, entered into force on March 15. This was done to protect people’s health, but, according to the businessmen, it created some difficulties for them.

On April 8, the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs organized a working debate on this issue. The NA deputies, the economic entities and the representatives from the Government took part in the debate.

As the Committee Chair Vahe Hakobyan has said, the problem is urgent, as the café business is also seasonal, and many entities can suffer economic losses because of the ban on smoking in the café. Vahe Hakobyan has noted that the Committee will discuss the proposals received by the entities in the near future and will try to find solutions. According to him, systemic solutions are needed to the problem, not short-term ones.

The entities raised a number of problems, noting that many public catering establishments suffer economic losses and as a result of it, they are in danger of closing. It was stated that first of all, the problem refers to the impossibility of enforcement of law. There is no appropriate toolkit for the enforcement of law. Issues related to the possibility of permitting smoking in open areas, separating the specialized smoking halls and providing concrete specialized services, issuing additional licenses to public catering establishments for smoking or raising the state duty were debated.

The deputy of the Armenia Faction Aram Vardevanyan expressed an opinion that such regulations are needed, which will both protect passive smokers and create favorable conditions for entities.

In Ani Ispiryan’s opinion, the RA Deputy Minister of Economy, at this stage the provisions of law should be left unchanged, as many entities have already adapted their actions to those regulations. According to her, the change can have a more negative impact at this moment.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee Babken Tunyan clarified that the deputies of the Civil Contract Faction did not take part in this debate, as they referred to the above-mentioned issues during the working debate initiated on March 31. Now, the businessmen’s proposals are under discussion.

Referring to the proposal to impose additional taxes on smoking, the Deputy Chair of the Committee expressed an opinion that the purpose of the regulation is not to collect taxes, but to protect people’s health.

Vahe Hakobyan underlined that at businessmen’s suggestion, in order to debate the issues emerged after the adoption of law, he will pursue the establishment of a working group, which will include all the beneficiaries.