Macedonian Hospitality Industry Profits Plummet

Fifty nine per cent of the respondents say they already have or plan to fire workers due to the drastic decrease in clientele, according to the survey conducted by the Macedonian Tourism Chamber.

87 per cent of the owners complained about the substantially reduced number of guests. For 63 per cent of the respondents the decline was cited as a direct consequence of the smoking ban.

18 per cent of respondents noted another reason for the drop, namely a serious decline in the purchasing power of Macedonians amid the global financial crisis that struck the world last year.

Macedonia's law is considered one of the harshest in Europe; The law bans smoking in all public places, including offices and hospitals, and even outside locations serving food or drinks.

The owners of cafes, bars and restaurants want state authorities to reconsider the law since some half of the adult population in the country puffs regularly.

Legislators from both the opposition and the ruling parties have already filed amendments to ease the restraints but they have not yet been debated in parliament.