There will be no sharp growth of excise duties on alcohol next three years - such decision was accepted at a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday evening, employees of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economic Development and Trade told to "Vedomosty". The Press Secretary of Prime Minister Dmitry Peskov confirmed it.
The Ministry of Finance offered to raise excise duties on alcohol stronger than 9% as one of sources of replenishment of the budget. It was offered to raise the rate in 2011 from 210 to 330 rbl. for 1 litre of waterless ethyl spirit, in 2012 and 2013 - to 490 and 650 rbl. accordingly. The floor price of a bottle of vodka in retail for next three years, by calculations of the ministry, should grow from 89 rbl. for 0,5 litre to 120, 160 and 200 rbl. Additional incomes from growth of excise duties during next three years would make 705,1 billion rbl., is specified in presentation of the Ministry of Finance and 85,1 billion rbl - in 2010.
"Vodka should cost much - it's not essential commodity", - the deputy minister of finance Sergey Shatalov said; the state rising vodka in price "does not want to carry out policy of soldering". Now vodka - one of the most accessible alcoholic drinks also because of low costs of spirit for its production.
Sharp rise in prices could lead to negative social consequences, Peskov explains refusal to increase excise duties, the share of counterfeit production would also grow. Indexation of excise duties in 2011-2013 will exceed inflation but most likely remains within the limits of 10 %.
- Frankness of officials simply amazes, - editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk Anatoly Baranov considers. - They recognise that there are little incomes in the budget and that vodka costs abnormally cheaply, it's more accessible, than meat, milk and fruit. They know that it's difficult to talk about quality at such price. At the same time they frankly declare that power keeps due to the fact that people who lost themselves into drinking not quite well realise their interests and do not see power lacks - that is actually power keeps on the obscured consciousness of fellow citizens. Then next stage of "Putin's Plan" is legalisation of drugs and making discount to members of "Edinaya Russia", movements "Nashi" and "Young guards", is it so? Some accessible heroin before elections - and the result will be better, than in Uzbekistan...
