Monopoly on vodka can be introduced in Russia
November 11, 2007,
Gazeta ru
Russian Federal Accounting Chamber proposes a monopoly on the ethyl alcohol.
Sources in the Court of Accounts confirmed that the agency actually put forward such a proposal.
The Court of Accounts reviewed the work of the alcohol industry in 2006 and in 2007, said the letter, and found the situation "unsatisfactory": vodka sales in retail in 2006, by 80% exceeded legally shipped by manufacturers (212 million gave against 135 million provided).
All these problems, believes the Court of Accounts, can be resolved "through the introduction of state monopoly over the turnover of ethyl alcohol." For this department proposes creation of a government corporation, which will distribute the entire amount of ethanol produced, including exports and imports. A excise duty, in the thoughts of officials, will pay only producers of alcohol.
The proposal of the Court of Accounts sent to ministries and agencies and the government requested to prepare a report to the President on this issue.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Once again Russia's government is trying to take vodka business under control. Even the Russian Tsar tried this before.
Half
of alcohol in Russia is illegal
June
22, 2007, RF Accounting Chamber
Russian Federal Accounting Chamber reported
that more than 50% of the total market of alcohol
in Russia is illegal product. Because of this
the government loses more than 45 billion rubles
(1.7 billion US dollars) annually, reported
the official press agency.
According
to the Accounting Chamber, the volume of legally
sold vodka and liquors in the 2006 total of
1.17 billion liters, a decrease of 21.6% from
2005. The average amount of alcohol products
sold through retail in 2006 was about 2.12 billion
liters. Analysts of the Chamber pointed out
that such large quantities of illegal alcohol
market can be attributed to price policies.
For example, the bulk of the price of vodka
are indirect taxes and charges - more than 70%
of the final price. Legal proceedings contribute
to the rising rates of increase in the price
of spirits, which combined with low purchasing
power of the majority of population leads to
increase in the illegal production of alcohol.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Russia's "black market" is
truly enormous. It was always like this, and
it looks like nothing has changed.
Russians
congregate over Internet, drink via USB shot
glasses
February
21, 2007,
Engadget.com - (Via E-generator.ru)
Russians utilize the power of the web to bring
alcoholics and social drinkers together in inebriated
harmony. Folks at e-generator.ru, has
devised a USB shot glass to allow lonely, alcohol-needing
individuals to get their drink on while safely
at home.
While
we don't consider ourselves experts in Russian
culture, it's apparently not tactful to get
plastered solo, and while online drinking might
be stretching the rules just a bit, we're sure
those vodka-loving Internet dwellers aren't
complaining.
The
idea is to join a group of drinkers in an online
lounge, where the USB shot glass levels are
shown on each person's screen; once the go-ahead
is given, the folks turn up their glasses and
chug it down, ideally showing an empty glass
after a random smashing of keys somehow spells
out congratulatory phrases.
According
to the inventor, his goal is to enable anyone
who failed to find drinking company, join a
party arranged on the Internet.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Welcoming new technology and applauding
creative ingenuity, we still think that it's
better to drink in the company of real people.
Vodka.com
domain sold for $3 million
December
15, 2006,
Reuters.uk - UK (Reuters)
The billionaire Russian entrepreneur behind
Russia's biggest vodka maker has paid $3 million
(1.53 million pounds) to acquire the vodka.com
domain, part of a bid to expand into the US
market, a broker said on Thursday. Russian Standard
Co. controls not only two-thirds of the sales
of premium vodka in Russia, but also owns Russian
Standard Bank, the country's largest private
bank.
RussianVodka.com
comment: We worth more!
'People's
vodka' urged for Russia
November
29, 2006, BBC News - UK
The
head of Russia's union of wine and spirits producers
has called on the country's lawmakers to legislate
for the introduction of "people's vodka". The
introduction of a cheap, but safe and regulated
drink, would help poorer Russians currently
unable to buy genuine vodka. Several Russian
regions have declared states of emergency recently
after a spate of fake vodka poisonings (last
year more than 40,000 people died after drinking
such liquids), and the worst-hit areas planned
to be the testing ground for "people's vodka",
or better, "social vodka".
The
Russian government says past attempts to impose
restrictions had always failed. Instead, tougher
state regulation of the quality of vodka has
emerged as the policy of choice.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Great idea! There is a serious need
for a safe and accessible alternative for an
average Russian vodka drinker.
US:
Russian Standard files Stoli lawsuit
October
24, 2006, Just-drinks.com editorial team
Russian
Standard has launched legal action in the US
against “unfounded allegations” from Pernod
Ricard in the ongoing row over the authenticity
of Stolichnaya vodka.
RussianVodka.com
comment: This is not the first time that we
hear about a lawsuit concerning the right to
be called Russian Vodka. As far as we know,
in the past these kind of lawsuits were not
successful.
Donald
Trump launches Trump vodka
UPI
News Service, October
7,
2006
Donald
Trump has launched a new vodka brand called
"Trump Vodka". The first cases arrived at New
York's Kennedy Airport with tuxedoed porters,
a red carpet, and a velvet rope. Although trump
himself doesn't drink alcohol, Trump called
it "a major player in the vodka arena." Patrick
Kenny of Drinks America Holdings Limited said,
"There's nobody who markets better in the luxury
category than Donald Trump." A one-litre bottle
will sell for about $30 according to the Daily
News.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Our congratulations to Mr. Trump. We
all can be assured that this venture is going
to be success!
Russian
authorities discover vodka pipeline to Latvia
Russia
(AHN), October 4, 2006
Russian
customs officials in Buholovo near the Latvian
border have discovered a one mile long pipeline
that was pumping vodka to the other side of
the border. Police officers patrolling the border
said the tunnel had been laid six feet underground
by still unidentified syndicates to pump homemade
vodka across the border to avoid paying taxes
and other government regulations on the liquor.
RussianVodka.com
comment: This example of true Russian criminal
ingenuity got stopped because Russian authorities
take their vodka affairs very serious.
Russian
Standard Company unveils new $60 million distillery
in St. Petersburg
Russia,
October 1, 2006 (PRNewswire)
Russian
Standard Company, the number one premium vodka
company in Russia, today announced the launch
of its new $60 million state-of-the art vodka
distillery in St. Petersburg, Russia. At the
same time, Russian Standard Vodka announced
its plans to launch Russian Standard Original
in the U.S., across Europe and in select Asian
markets.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Our congratulations to Russian Standard!
The quality of Russian vodka will undoubtedly
improve, as the world markets reach.
Russian
industry grows 5.6% in August 2006
Rosstat
Russia, Sept. 18, 2006 (Interfax)
Russian
industrial output grew 5.6% year-on-year in
August... as did vodka and liquor production
- 8.2%.
RussianVodka.com
comment: More Russian vodka!
Bootleg
vodka kills hundreds in Russian city
BELGOROD,
Russia (UPI), Sept. 13, 2006
In
one of the worst cases, almost 1,000 people
were poisoned in just two small towns in the
Belgorod region in central Russia. Critics say
the government's decision earlier this year
to introduce a new and expensive system of state
excise stamps led to the market being flooded
with potentially lethal vodka substitutes. Fraudsters
exploited in full measure the dramatic increase
in the prices of alcoholic beverages by monopolists,
putting relatively cheap, spirit-based mixture
in active circulation. The city warned people
about the danger, but some people evidently
did not believe the warnings. Prosecutors were
seeking to press criminal charges against the
bootleggers, who were still at large.
RussianVodka.com
comment: Bootleg vodka problem in Russia is
deeply rooted in poverty and overall difficulties
and hardship of Russian life, as well as rampant
corruption, degradation of drinking culture,
and recklessness of majority of vodka drinking
population.
Collapse
of Russia alcohol market: vodka can disappear
like whisky
MOSCOW,
July 19, 2006 (Itar-Tass)
