The retail outlets with an area smaller than 20 square meters remain with the ban on selling tobacco products and related products if they are located at a distance shorter than 200 meters from an education or a medical institution. The Constitutional Court rejected the application of former MP Simion Grishchuk, who challenged this article, invoking unfair competition, IPN reports.

The Court reached the conclusion that the temporary retail outlets have sufficient elements that balance the disadvantage invoked by the author of the challenge. Simion Grishchuk wasn’t present at the meeting and didn’t send a representative.

The ex-MP argued that the challenged norm does not ensure fair competition between traders as it bans the sale of tobacco products and related products at a distance shorter than 200 meters from education or medical institutions in the case of retail outlets that are smaller than 20 square meters in area, but does not refer to those that are larger than 20 square meters in area.

Last week, MPs of the political bloc ACUM requested the former MP to withdraw the application submitted to the Court, saying this is an attempt by the tobacco industry to increase children’s and teens’ access to tobacco products. Asked by IPN to comment, Simion Grishchuk said the statements made by the MPs of ACUM are aberrant, noting he submitted the application in order to find out the Constitutional Court’s opinion on the issue.