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 Prior to the bill, which has been under consideration since 2011,
smoking had been banned in state institutions, schools and
hospitals, but bars did not have to be smoke-free.
The country, where roughly a third of the population smokes, joins
another 17 EU states that have enforced wide-ranging smoke-free
legislation, including neighbors Bulgaria and Hungary.
Marking the final stage of the process, parliament's lower house
approved the ban on smoking in playgrounds as well as all indoor
public spaces, including bars, restaurants and workplaces. The
legislation also said the public should be educated about the
dangers of smoking.
Some critics of the bill have said it will put an end to the
country's vibrant night life, especially in the capital Bucharest
where late closing hours and the freedom to smoke indoors fill
venues to the brim.
The ban could also lead to a drop in cigarette sales, a large source
of revenue for Romania, which raised 8.3 billion lei ($2 billion)
from excise duties on tobacco and cigarettes in 2014, finance
ministry data showed.
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Prior smoking bans have been loosely enforced. In parliament, a
public institution where smoking has been banned for years, it is
common to see lawmakers, staff and reporters lighting up.
(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Lisa Barrington)
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