Health

Order! Greek lawmakers fume at smoking colleagues

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek lawmakers are fuming over colleagues who openly flout the country's anti-smoking laws in the very building where the statutes were passed.

A cross-party group of 88 representatives wrote to the Parliament speaker Thursday urging action against what they call a "pathetic and infuriating" state of affairs. Greece has one of the European Union's highest smoking rates. It introduced a strict law in 2010 to outlaw smoking in enclosed public areas. Violators face €50-€500 ($68-$680) fines.

It was the third anti-smoking law passed in recent years, but has met with no noticeable success: People still light up freely in bars, cafes, restaurants — and Parliament. The lawmakers wrote that, apart from assembly halls, at times there is "not a single square meter" in Parliament where the law isn't broken.

Related Headlines

  • Greek bill opens way for civil service layoffs

    Greece's Parliament approved an emergency bill Sunday to pave the way for thousands of public sector layoffs and free up 8.8 billion euros ($11.5 billion) in international ... 

  • Little Cyprus thumbs its nose at EU 'bullies'

    The moment word broke that Cypriot lawmakers in Parliament had voted down a bailout deal that would have raided everyone's savings to prop up a collapsing banking sector, a ... 

  • Russia smoking ban takes effect

    A law that bans smoking in public places has taken effect in Russia, a contentious move in a country with one of the highest smoking rates in the world. The ban, which came ... 

  • Surge in hate crimes divides Greek coalition

    Greece's coalition government was in disarray Thursday over efforts to crackdown on growing racist violence, as majority conservatives and their center-left partners clashed ...