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Why Do Belarusians Need "Prohibition Law"?

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Why Do Belarusians Need "Prohibition Law"?

Draft decree on limitation of alcohol sales will be directed to the Council of Ministers on November 1.

The draft decree is devoted to the fight against alcoholism. On the one hand, this is a good cause. But on the other hand, the restrictive experience and a common situation evaluation reveal a very different picture, Ezhednevnik writes.

During the "perestroika" times there was a joke: Gorbachev started struggle with alcoholism by liquidation of munchies. This is almost the same way Belarusian bureaucrats want to follow and offer to establish specialized departments for alcohol and to introduce time limitation for alcohol sales. It will not affect population alcoholization, but there should be something done to fight alcoholism. That idea was voiced when Adam was a boy, but the other day they resulted in a legislative initiative. There will be additional costs suffered by producers and trade, for sure. The "minus" is evident, what are "pluses" then?

Belarus has taken the other way for years: there were attempts to make sales of alcohol as legal as possible. After all, when official statistics complies with the reality, the fight against that blasted vodka is more effective. In 2000s two mutually reinforcing processes were used: the police and administrative punishments were used to fight substitutes, while providing shops with quite decent and affordable alcohol. Yes, the official statistics of alcohol consumption grew up. But the actual alcohol consumption remained the same. A legal share of alcohol replaced home-brew, and legal beer - a smuggled one from Russia and Ukraine.

The other day professional associations got the draft decree for discussion. It will be forbidden to sell alcohol from 22.00 to 9.00. It will be also taken away from gas stations, if there are no isolated stationary catering facilities. Shops at petrol stations have become one of the most profitable places amid drop of demand for oil. One more interesting innovation is offered: to introduce specialized departments isolated from the main display area.

In fact, these ideas are not something new. It takes much time. But this is the very moment to make them true. During first 9 months retail sales fell by almost 3%. Retailers can hardly cover debts to banks, suppliers and other creditors. The retail margin has hit its all-time low. And a "gift" in the form of additional investment in the organization of separate premises for trading alcohol is another nail in their difficult existence.

And consequences of the prohibition of night sales are too obvious. Belarusians are smart and men of enterprise. Especially when they feel "thirsty". And if there is no option to buy a legal alcohol after the sunset, then other unofficial ways out emerge. Fortunately, there are enough of them today. Has "non-excise" vodka from brotherly Russia finally disappeared? There was too much of it, it cannot vapor at once. And the "night time limitation" will just strengthen its position. "Black marketeers" will absolutely agree with such norms. Can the MVD lobby their interests? It is barely possible, because the increase in illegal sales will inevitably entail an increased crime level. Most likely, the Interior Ministry simply does not realize all consequences.

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