Amendments toughening the rules of alcohol turnover in Russia, including ban against the sale of strong drinks inclusive of beer in the nighttime, will not come into force the 1 of July as it was planned. Dmitri Medvedev directed an opinion letter to the Speaker of the State Duma Boris Grislov and charged him with finalizing the law about “The state regulation of production and turnover of ethanol, alcohol and alcohol-containing products”, because the present law is too gentle for struggle against alcoholism in Russia. As the news agency rian.ru reports, according to Medvedev’s conclusion, the bill does not take into account the clause approved of the President and Government allowing the regions of the Russian Federation to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages. Gazeta.ru reports that the President offers to specify definition of “the place of mass gathering of citizens”, “the place of sources of increased danger”, “public places” as well as “beverages produced on the basis of beer”. The consumption of alcohol inclusive of beer and beverages on the basis of it containing more than 5% alcohol must be prohibited at all that places and next to them. It must be also prohibited to sale such beverages in stands, kiosks, stalls, containers, off the hands, automobiles or in other non-stationary commercial objects. It must be prohibited selling alcohol anywhere from 23.00 to 8.00 local time. The amendments also are toughening the control of factories’ output (it will help lower the production of no registered alcohol) and introducing licensing of transport of alcohol by road. A state body authorized by government will fix the wholesale and retail prices for ethanol and alcohol products. That prices can not be lower, otherwise the sale of such products will be prohibited in Russia and the violation of prohibition will cause unjudicial revocation of license. The deputies say it is a rare case that the president estimates a bill after the first reading in the State Duma. It indicates an importance of the bill for Kremlin. “The bill accepted in the first reading is really useless. The government prepared the amendments in the course of 3 years but they are still unready” – thinks Victor Zvagelski, member of economic policy and business committee of the State Duma. In his opinion the State Duma is ready to take into account all suggestions of the president for the second reading. There are no differences of opinions concerning amendments. “Some regulations could be fixed more strictly. For example, alcoholic beverages sold in the stands must contain not more than 1,5% alcohol (kvass and kefir) and not 5-7% as the government suggests. The regions need to have the right to institute a “Prohibition” or to impose a stricter limitation of alcohol sale than it is now from 23.00 to 8.00. The corresponding amendments for the second reading have been prepared” – said the deputy. “However the problem of alcoholism can not be solved alone by prohibitions” – says the expert Vadim Drobiz. “The authorities are sequentially fighting against dishonest alcohol producers. The cost of alcoholic beverages is rising but the salaries are not. It means that people will drink surrogates any way” – Mr. Drobiz thinks. “It is necessary to reduce the number of strong alcoholic beverages in the structure of consumption of alcohol” – supposes Mr. Titov. “Natural fermentation wines containing not more than 15% alcohol but without artificially added ethanol need to be helped out of prohibition. That will promote the wine-making branch. General prohibition of any alcohol will be fraught with social upheavals. We need an alternative. There is nothing more healthy than natural wine” – assures the winemaker. Source – alconews.ru