Macedonia is set to introduce sweeping new anti-smoking legislation that would require cafes and restaurants to provide separate entrances for non-smoking sections, in what officials describe as a major step toward reducing the country's exceptionally high smoking rate.

Under the proposed law, venues with outdoor terraces would need to comply with a two-sided separation rule ensuring that non-smokers have genuinely smoke-free access to dining and socializing spaces. The legislation is expected to go to a parliamentary vote by late April.

The goal is ambitious: to reduce the national smoking rate from approximately 45 percent — one of the highest in Europe — to under 20 percent. Health officials argue that the current rate represents a public health crisis that costs the healthcare system millions annually.

The law would affect an estimated 7,000 hospitality venues across the country. Industry representatives have expressed concern about the costs of compliance, particularly the requirement for separate entrances, which would require physical modifications to many existing establishments. However, public health advocates insist that the measures are long overdue and point to the success of similar legislation in other European countries in reducing smoking rates and improving public health outcomes.