Over half of all Prague restaurants are planning to ban smoking on premises

Pavel Hlinka, the president of the Czech Association of Restaurants and Hotels, said on Sunday that about fifty percent of Prague pubs and the majority of upscale restaurants are planning to change into non-smoking establishments as of July. Within a new law aiming to curb smoking in public that takes effect on July 1, restaurants and bars will be obliged to display stickers that indicate whether smoking is allowed on their premises or not. Outside of Prague, the number of establishments planning to ban smoking is significantly lower, Mr. Hlinka added. Although the respective legislation was approved by Parliament last summer, bar and restaurant owners were given a year to prepare for the introduction of the new measure.