SMOKING BAN IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA FROM AUGUST 2026, FULL ENFORCEMENT IN 2027

Following the adoption of the Law on the Protection of Public Health from Tobacco and Other Smoking Products by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, numerous uncertainties emerged in the public regarding the exact timing of the law’s implementation.

PHOTO: Trebinje live

During the parliamentary debate, several amendments proposed by the SNSD Parliamentary Group were adopted, while amendments submitted by the United Srpska Parliamentary Group and MP Spomenka Stevanović were rejected, leading to differing interpretations of the law’s provisions.

According to the final interpretation, provisions related to the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces will come into force on August 1, 2026. However, a transitional period has been granted for hospitality establishments.

From the date the law enters into force, hospitality business owners will have six months to comply with the new regulations, meaning full enforcement in all hospitality venues will begin on February 1, 2027.

During this transitional period, venue owners will be required to remove ashtrays, display clear no-smoking signs, warn guests about the ban, and align their operations with the prescribed legal obligations.

Inspection controls and penalties for violations of the smoking ban in hospitality establishments are expected to begin on February 1, 2027.

On the other hand, provisions of the law concerning the ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors, as well as the ban on advertising and promotion of tobacco products, will enter into force eight days after the law is published in the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska.