Belarus: Government prepares anti-alcohol campaign

The Belarusian Interior Ministry has prepared a draft presidential decree aimed at reducing alcohol consumption, Interfax released July 20.

"The decree's objective is to fight alcoholism among the public and it is comparable to a similar decree from Gorbachev in 1985," Interior Ministry official Andrei Solodovnikov said at a press conference in Minsk July 20.

"Soon after Gorbachev's decree came into effect, alcohol-related crime in Russia, including murders, decreased sharply," Solodovnikov said.

The Interior Ministry's draft decree provides more severe penalties for consuming alcoholic beverages in public places and introduces restrictions on where beer can be consumed, he said. It also includes penalties for selling beer to minors or procuring it for them, he said.

In addition, the draft decree some restrictions on advertising alcoholic beverages and beer.

21 July, 2006