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22.03.2016

Belarus to relax alcohol storage, transportation regulations

MINSK (BelTA) – Plans have been made to lift restrictions on the volume of alcohol products with Belarusian excise labels which can be transported or stored by physical persons in Belarus. This is envisaged in the draft decree discussed at the session held by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 21 March to discuss the improvement of the legal regulation in alcohol trade, BelTA informs.

The head of state stressed that the draft decree will specify optimal approaches to the sale of alcohol products in the country. It is essential to keep the balance of interests of people and the state.

The President explained why it was needed to discuss the issue. Last year mass media brought public attention to a number of cases: the police and tax authorities brought a number of individuals to justice for the transportation and storage of relatively small volumes of alcohol. People bought these alcohol products for their own needs, for example, family celebrations, and were not going to resell them. As a result, this issue was considered at the level of the President, and the head of state gave an instruction to handle it using legislative tools.

In accordance with the President's instruction, the government prepared a draft decree to lift restrictions on the volume of alcoholic beverages with Belarusian excise labels which can be stored or transported by individuals in Belarus.

Alexander Lukashenko suggested discussing the provisions of the new document at the session. In his opinion, it is needed to prioritize the interests of people and the state and to take into account the existing situation. “Let's consider the issue from the point of view of the society and make sure that our decision will not do harm to the state, first of all, from the point of view of the economy and taxation,” Alexander Lukashenko noted.

In general, the President approved of the draft decree and gave an instruction to toughen punishment for illegal operations with alcohol – the storage and transportation of unmarked alcohol products and the illegal sale of alcohol in Belarus.