News

The Basque Government plans to penalize with a fine of 3000 euros any bar or establishment which allows its clients to smoke in enclosed public areas once an anti-tobacco Act of law currently being developed.

The Department of Social Affairs in the Basque Country is adding sanctioning powers to the current anti-tobacco law.

Employment and Social Affairs Councilor for the Basque Executive, Gemma Zabaleta, has acknowledged that the penalty they plan to impose is "high" and explained that, in the process of developing the new Act, the government had followed a policy of "equating tobacco with alcohol" with "particular" attention given to publicity and illegal sales.

Zabaleta hopes the new Act being developed by the Basque Executive will be approved "in a month" by Congress and wants to achieve the objective of an "Euskadi without smoke" by 2011.

To raise awareness among citizens about the need to refrain from smoking in enclosed public spaces, the Councilor launched a media campaign under the slogan Aire sin tabaco, aire saludable ("Smoke-free air, healthy air") at a cost of approximately 200,000 euros.

In addition to radio and television commercials, the initiative will include a web-page and a parade of ''trikitilaris'' (Basque accordion players) who throughout July will visit bars in Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastian and Vitoria-Gasteiz playing the campaign song.

66% of the Basque population aged between 15 and 74 claim to be non-smokers, 29% are habitual and 5% occasional smokers.