RIGA - Summers in Riga may never be quite the same. According to the wording of a recent bill passed by Parliament, as of May 1 beer will be added to the list of alcoholic drinks whose sale is banned from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
The restrictions may also apply to beer gardens and cafes, as well as at outdoor concerts - a common feature of the Riga summer social life.
"We will be the only country in Europe to apply to beer the same restrictions as to strong drinks," Janis Duklavs, head of the Latvian Brewers Association, told the Baltic News Service.
Critics contend that if applied to cafes, the law will greatly reduce their economic viability. Since alcoholic beverages make up a large portion of cafe profits, detractors say the restrictions could also harm tourism.
If applied to beer gardens and outdoor cafes, the beer brewers association is planning to ask President Vaira Vike-Freiberga not to enact the law.
Dzintars Zakis, head of the committee that drafted the law, said that the new restrictions were not intended to apply to beer gardens but only to cafes and kiosks that sell alcohol outside an enclosed area.
