Following an announcement by a top minister that three deputy ministers were being called to task over mass cases of alcoholism and alcohol poisoning, which has caused dozens of deaths in recent months, Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref said his deputy, Andrei Sharonov, did not deserve to be challenged on the issue.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said earlier Thursday that the three officials were being admonished over delays in preparing regulations that led the alcohol problem. Zhukov said the deputy finance, economics, and agriculture ministers had been singled out.
The economics minister said, "I am forced to say that our government is following well-known Russian traditions. The first step has already been carried out - punishing the innocent. We have only to wait for the next step - rewarding those who are not implicated."
"We are not responsible for regulating the alcohol market. This should be done by those ministries whose remit includes this function," the minister said.
In his annual question-and-answer broadcast October 25, President Vladimir Putin criticized the prime minister for his failure to identify and punish officials responsible for a recent crisis on Russia's alcohol market following the introduction of the new liquor excise regulations.
Putin said the Russian market is dominated by counterfeit and poor-quality alcoholic beverages, which are causing serious harm to the health of Russian citizens and contributing to the deterioration of the demographic situation in the country.
Alcohol poisoning cases are regularly reported in Russia. Russia has seen a surge in mass alcohol poisoning cases from bootleg alcohol and alcohol-based chemicals in recent months, and large numbers of fatalities have been registered throughout the country.
Earlier in the year, the interior minister called them a national tragedy and urged a crackdown on bootleg alcohol sales in the country.
Between 550,000 and 700,000 people die in Russia every year of alcohol poisoning and related illnesses, deputy chairman of the State Duma's Health Protection Committee Nikolai Gerasimenko said Wednesday, citing a scientific report.
