TALLINN - In an attempt to improve the health of the nation, several parliamentarians recently proceeded with plans to radically restrict alcohol sales and advertising in Tallinn. The ban, however, could backfire on the country and cut into its competitive advantage vis-à-vis neighboring Finland.
The social affairs commission of Parliament prepared a bill on the new Law on Alcohol that would ban the sale of alcohol from 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and prohibit alcohol advertising throughout the country.
The commission lists 12 MPs from various parties. The Center Party is the main supporter of the bill, and Minister of Social Affairs Marko Pomerants from the Res Publica party is backing the initiative, even though not all coalition ministers are happy about it.
The measures must be considered as different ways to reach a unified goal, Pomerants said, referring to several Estonian municipalities that have already imposed alcohol sales restrictions.
"One would not necessarily substitute the other, but these measures should be implemented together to create synergy," he said. "People's attitudes must be changed, and this would require the regulation of advertising, taxation and also alcohol sales."
The minister added that in 2003, the state cashed in about 65.2 million euros in excise taxes on alcohol.
"On the other hand, how much does the healthcare system - broken families or unemployed people - cost the state," he asked. "Healthy and working people are much more important for the state than the smaller inflow of money caused by the ban of alcohol sales at night."
In Pomerants' opinion, the tourism industry would not suffer from the alcohol sale restrictions.
"Estonia is a very beautiful country, and most of the tourists do not come here because of vodka. I recommend them to explore the Old Town, Lahemaa and definitely visit the university town of Tartu. Of course, there are all kinds of tourists, but everyone should be able to get the desired alcohol during 16 hours of the day," he said, adding that many countries have reduced alcohol consumption by implementing sales restrictions.
The country of closest comparison is Norway, where restrictions are even more stringent than those currently under discussion in Estonia. Norwegian grocery stores only sell beverages with alcohol content below 5 percent on weekdays until 8 p.m. and on weekends until 6 p.m. Stronger alcohol is sold in state-owned stores that are only open during the day, Pomerants said.
According to Center Party MP Evelyn Sepp's information, there will be enough votes for the bill to pass. Pomerants asked Parliament to forget about tensions between the ruling coalition parties and the Center Party and support the ban.
The majority of the Reform Party and Res Publica factions, however, reportedly will not back the bill.
Reform Party member and Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Meelis Atonen told the Eesti Paevaleht daily that radical sales restrictions would stimulate the growth of the underground alcohol market.
"Our party, as a liberal party, does not believe that a mere ban can change anything. I myself bought the most alcohol during Gorbachev's prohibition law," Atonen said.
The healthcare department of the Social Affairs Ministry rated the current alcohol policy in Estonia as "ultraliberal." The head of the Estonian Institute of Economic Research Marje Josing supports this point of view.
"Although alcohol production is an important part of the economy, high alcohol consumption is a social problem," she said.
The institute assessed the annual per capita consumption of alcohol in Estonia, including illegally sold drinks, at 10.9 liters. "That is obviously too much, and we have to do something. The priority is to reduce consumption among the youth," said Josing, adding that consumption would likely fall should sales restriction be introduced.
"Statements like 'everybody will find booze at night anyway' are somewhat true. At this point, the police must prevent the development of illegal trade," Josing said.
In her opinion, if the state cannot ensure that alcohol retailers conduct their work legally, it might be logical to reduce the number of retail alcohol licenses.
In Finland, there are about 300 liquor stores, yet in Tallinn alone there are over 700 valid retail alcohol licenses.
"The competition among the alcohol producers in the last several months reached its climax, in my opinion, when the three-liter vodka pack with a tap was introduced. Now that was a true 'Nokia,'" she said.
Alcohol producers oppose the concept of the bill.
Sirje Potisepp, managing director of Remedia distillery and board member of the Estonian Vodka Union, said that although businesses admitted to social problems caused by alcohol consumption, a sales restriction was not the right measure. "We are about to begin from the wrong end. Changes in the social affairs field must be considered first," Potisepp said.
