Czech government again approves ban on smoking
PRAGUE (AP) - The Czech government has again approved a smoking ban in restaurants.
Monday's move comes just days after Parliament rejected such a bill because it failed to get the support of a government coalition partner. Right now, it's up to Czech bar owners to decide if they allow unrestricted smoking in their establishments.
A majority of Czechs support a ban.
Most lawmakers from the ANO party, led by Finance Minister Andrej Babis, rejected the plan Wednesday, leading to accusations from the Social Democrats of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka that it was damaging the governing coalition and favoring the tobacco lobby.
Babis replied it was the Social Democrats who destroyed the bill by agreeing with an opposition proposal to allow smoking in separate rooms.
The new version doesn't allow that.