Izvestia: in Russia they want to ban the sale of alcohol in stores in residential buildings

According to the Izvestia newspaper, the sale of alcohol in cafes, restaurants and shops located in residential buildings may be banned in Russia. The corresponding bill is to be submitted to the State Duma by deputies from the United Russia party. According to the proposal, the sale of alcohol in such establishments will be allowed only after the approval of the general meeting of owners of residential buildings. Party representatives point to the mass complaints of residents about the undesirability of having such establishments in their residential buildings.

The restrictive measures introduced in 2020 did not solve the problem caused by the semi-legal sale of alcohol in night liquor stores. Therefore, the deputies intend to reduce the number of establishments located in residential buildings that have the right to sell alcohol.

Vladimir Koshelev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Public Utilities, said that the semi-legal sale of alcohol is “the scourge of most northern and southern cities of Russia.” The Governor of the Arkhangelsk region, Alexander Tsybulsky, expressed his opinion on the need for urgent action, since the semi-legal sale of alcohol leads to a worsening of the crime situation in general.

However, business representatives believe that a ban on the sale of alcohol in cafes, restaurants and shops located in residential buildings may worsen the situation of honest entrepreneurs and exacerbate the problem of illegal alcohol trafficking. They believe that it is necessary to separate civilized business and law-breaking establishments that create problems for retail outlets. Petr Shelishch, chairman of the Union of Consumers public organization, expressed concern that such a ban could stimulate the illegal circulation of alcohol in Russia and negatively affect the sale of such goods in general.