There are no plans to introduce strict state monopoly on alcohol in Russia

There are no plans to introduce strict state monopoly on alcohol so far, as Deputy Premier and Finance Minister of Russia Aleksey Kudrin stated today after the first meeting of the governmental commission on the alcohol market regulations. At the same time it is necessary to strengthen the state control of the alcohol market, said Kudrin. According to his words, illegal production and distribution of alcohol takes about 20-25% of the market, RBC reports. 20,425 people died over the first seven months of 2000 of poisoning by alcohol of poor quality, which 6,190 (43.5%) more than in 1999, reported the Deputy Premier.