Belarus suspends alcohol imports

Belarus has suspended the imports of alcohol since over last month. According to naviny.by, the situation remains unsettled.  The government has already spent a month thinking about how could become a special importer of alcohol products. The plan was that an ad hoc commission chaired by Vice PM Andrei Kabyakou would have announced the names of the lucky importers by April 15. However, consultations were extended.

Previously, up to 30 companies made business of importing the foreign-made spirits. Experts do not rule out that the government could repeate the practice of handing the import license to only one company like it happened with tobacco imports. There is sole importer of tobacco products in Belarus: Belarushandal, controlled by the Office of the President.

Currently, foreign liquor makes only 4.7 percent out of the whole alcohol market in Belarus.