MPs caught tobacco companies by surprise on Tuesday voting in favour of cutting the term of old cigarette excise labels to three months. Up till now, the labels were valid until tobacco makers ran out of forecast quantities but no later than June 31.

International company JTI protested against the decision saying last-minute voting barred strategic planning. Tobacco association members JTI, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, Karelia and Emperial will pen a protest letter against the new law.

But Bulgartabac, the market monopoly, is hardly likely to join in the protest with insiders saying it was the one to push the amendment. The new limit makes local brands more competitive to the global powerhouses on the market, said Slantse Stara Zagora executive director Stefan Slavov, who thumbed-up the decision.

Tobacco heavyweights have built stockpiles of excise labels putting competition in jeopardy, Emil Dimitrov, chairman of the association of tobacco and tobacco products makers and retailers, said a month ago.

Parliament also approved a higher excise duty of 40.5% of the market price plus BGN 41 per 1,000 pieces, which will add an average of 24-26% to the prices per pack.