It will be illegal to sell alcohol in Lithuania on September 1 this year. The ban will affect all cafes, hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, shops and supermarkets. Minibars in hotels will be locked, or will have alcohol removed.
September 1 is traditionally a big day for drinking. We don't totally understand why but it has a lot to do with the start of the academic year. Both students and their parents in Lithuania seem to like to celebrate the start of the school year in the same way that everyone else celebrates the end of it. (Actually, they also seem to like to celebrate the opening of envelopes, but... well... let's just not go there. Maybe I'll write something about that on another occassion.)
As September 1 will be a Saturday this year (and someone might open an envelope somewhere), Lithuania's Parliament, possibly anticipating a double-whammy drinking problem, thought it would be a fine idea to simply ban the sale of alcohol on that day.
Local newspapers are carrying stories suggesting that owners of bars and restaurants will come up with creative ways to circumvent the ban. (Offering alcohol but not billing for it until after midnight, giving alcohol away 'free' but compensating on the food bill, selling wine in tea cups, etc.) It will certainly be interesting to see what happens.
We expect this law will have a negative effect on travellers. People who come to Lithaunia for the weekend, ranging from those who like to have a nice glass of wine with their meal to those who like celebrating in a more enthusiastic way, will probably leave with a poor impression of Lithuania.
If Lithuanian politicians wish to tackle problems associated with drinking, it may be better for them to address the root causes of the societal problems, boredom, hopelessness, poverty and frustration that lead to drinking. In other words: they should sack themselves.
Photo, showing drinking and smoking in Vilnius, both of which will be officially naughty on September 1, courtesy of Sco.
Monday, August 27
Lithuania bans the sale of alcohol
Posted by Pocket Blogger on Monday, August 27, 2007
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4 comments:
A few stag parties will be put out over this one. I remember down here in Warsaw during the old pope's visit when there was ablanket 48 hour booze ban plenty of angry lads nrusing diet cokes casting dagger-like glances at the best man.
Yeah, I expect to see a few baffled looking men in tutus. I also just noticed this article in which the Lithuanian President claims that he regrets not vetoing the ban. He is quotes as saying that "Such bans make us look ridiculous" and that it is "sheer stupidy". Should have thought of that earlier, mate.
Geras straipsnelis ir geri komentarai, Andrew ;)). Nėra taip jau blogai: gi gert tai niekas neuždraudė :). Nusiperkam iš vakaro - ir šeštadienį ramu: nei eilėj stovėt, nei ieškot - imi ir geri :). Pardavimas gausis toks pat, gi jau dabar visi masiškai užpirkinėja, jaučiu, kad ši rugsėjo 1-oji bus visiškai juoda ;)).
O restoranuose - tai yra toks metodas - "iš po stalo" :). Užsisakai 1 kavos ir 1 sulčių - ir jas geri tol, kol išgeri tai, ką paslapčia atsinešei... :)
I remember myself being in one club in the capital on August 31'st - the ban had to start from the midnight, so just before the midnight everybody was hell drunk and it was pretty impossible to approach the bar, crowds were there. the barmen decided to calculate a few barrels of beer and a few flasks of vodka into the account, and then everyone could buy it after the midnight. the atmosphere was absolutely wild, the ban, i bet, increased the sailes of alcohol maybe even double ;]]]
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