Drink one bottle — pay for 160

For example, if someone decides to drink some vodka in front of their house on the pay day they may be fined for a sum of money equal to the whole wage. The European Radio for Belarus has decided to find out what the law really means for Belarusians.



We asked Yauhen Sachyk (a representative of the press service of Minsk City Executive Committee) to denote the meaning of “a public place” and “alcoholic beverages”:


“The new code does not explain what is meant by “a public place”. The term “alcoholic beverages” is denoted in presidential decree #1. Alcoholic beverages are beverages containing more than 7 hundredths of ethyl alcohol.



Public places are all places that are not private property. A flat or a house cannot be called a public place.



A lobby is a public place. A concert hall is a public place regardless of the pattern of ownership.  Cafés and restaurants are public places but it is allowed to drink alcoholic beverages there”.


Alcoholic beverages are wine (even sweet), cognac and strong beer.  We wondered what the punishment for breaking the law was. Yauhen Sauchyk continues:


“Drinking alcoholic beverages in public places or being in such places in a state of intoxication. The fine for drinking alcoholic beverages in parks, squares, streets, stadiums and public transport is up to 8 base amounts.



The fine increases to 15 base amounts for repeated drinking and the violation can even result in an administrative arrest of 25 days. Such measures are also applied to being in public places in a dishonouring state of intoxication”.


It means that if you drink alcoholic beverages stronger than, for example, Doctor Diesel, you should be ready for a fine that may reach 250 USD for repeated violation.



We tried to find out what was going on in the city itself.



The Partysanski District police officer Dzmitry Laukis told us that there were no detentions after the new Administrative Code had been implemented:


“It has not affected people. Of course they have started to drink less. We have not detained anybody in March. If it happens we usually take the person to the police office for questioning. Then we just look what kind of person the detained is.



If they drink alcoholic beverages rather often and are unemployed we draw up a protocol so that we could affect them later. If it’s a normal person who was detained in a state of intoxication for the first time we just pronounce a warning”.


Thus, dear Belarusians, if you decide to drink alcoholic beverages in a public place, think twice whether a bottle of wine costs the fine if you could buy 160 bottles for the sum of money and drink them at home.


Zmіtser Trauchuk – trying to drink alcoholic beverages in public places with you.

Photo by www.nubo.ru