Politics of drunken passivity

Do low prices for vodka represent the consequence of purposeful public policy that doesn’t impede the alcoholization of the popularity?

From the beginning of the century Belarus has substantially increased the production of alcohol, informs Belsat. However, prices for vodka in our country are still the lowest in the region.

Thus, the ultimate minimal price for vodka in Belarus is currently about 3.4 dollar for half-litre bottle, while in Russia this number makes up about 5.6 dollar. In Ukraine minimal price for alcoholic drinks almost equals Belarusan one. In Lithuania and Poland minimal prices make up about 5.8 dollar.

Does this price conjuncture mean that alcohol consumption in Belarus is really regulated by such vulgar principle?

Anything but riot

As thedirector of the Institute for Policy Studies Palіtychnaya Sphera (Political Sphere) Andrei Kazakevich noted in the talk with the EuroBelarus Information Service, “Belarus really has a very specific policy towards alcohol”. “There is such a feeling that, on the one hand, the authorities understand that consumption of alcohol, especially cheap one, is bad for society. But the authorities also remember bad consequences of different attempts to limit the consumption of alcohol in late 80s. Those years became a certain catalyzer of Soviet Union collapse”, - said the political scientist.

Belarusan blogger Yaugen Lipkovich recalled the same period. But he found one more historical parallel to the actions of Belarusan authorities: “I looked through one magazine of the 18^th century; it is called “Kiev antiquity”. It was written there that massacre of Jews during the times of Bogdan Chmelnitski were mostly provoked by the increased prices for vodka. And that’s why the riot began”.

Yaugen Lipkovich doesn’t except the possibility that the authorities estimate the minimal price level when no sharp social tension appears in the society.

As long as the treasury doesn’t become empty there is nothing to worry about

Besides, noted the famous blogger, alcohol production is quite good source to replenish state budget. “Belarus has “alcoholic beverage” budget. And enterprises that product alcohol are in the list of the biggest taxpayers in the country”, - highlighted Yaugen Lipkovich.

 The problem with the balance of foreign trade doesn’t keep off the alcohol issue. As Andrei Kazakevich noted, Belarusan authorities try to limit import of alcoholic production in different ways. “For instance, in due course very small import quotas were introduced. And the abolishment of this measure was, basically, forced. As it was demanded by Customs Union partners”, - reminded the political scientist.

Even the decided quality of the alcoholic production consumed by Belarusans is sacrificed to the foreign trade interests. Andrei Kazakevich noted that alcohol of good quality in Belarus is either absent or costs much more than in the neighboring countries. “At the same time alcohol of poor quality, especially produced within Belarus, is quite accessible”, - highlighted the interlocutor.

Increase in the cost of vodka as movement towards the West

However, if we compare alcohol costs in Belarus and neighboring countries considering the level of wages, then it appears that currently alcoholic drinks are hardly more accessible to Belarusans than they are to our neighbours.

And Yaugen Lipkovich suggests measuring the degree of our country moving away from Soviet Union traditions by the prices on alcoholic drinks: “In the Soviet times the cost of one bottle of vodka was always at level of about 1 dollar. And in the western countries vodka is traditionally rather expensive. And if the price of vodka against the dollar is growing in our country, than it means we step away from the Soviet Union”.

Andrei Kazakevich, in his turn, noted that alcohol costs, as a rule, are growing slower than food costs. And he didn’t rule out the possibility that the costs on alcohol will be frozen before the next political campaign.

Thus, one can hardly talk about the purposeful policy of Belarusan authorities to accustom people to hard drinking. It looks more like indifference to this question up to the moment when it threatens the maintenance of status quo for those who hold power. As Yaugen Lipkovich complained, the authorities are more interested in the possible harm from the Internet and computers than from the cheap vodka produced by the state.