Putin signs law giving regional authorities power to restrict sale of alcohol in apartment buildings

Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting regional authorities the right to restrict the operation of alcohol retailers in apartment buildings — so-called nalivayki.

The document, published on Russia’s official legal portal, allows subjects of the Russian Federation to establish their own rules of operation for retailers of beer, malt beverages, cider, poire, and mead, located in apartment buildings and/or on the grounds adjacent to them. The law also allows authorities to restrict their hours.

The law was adopted by the State Duma on February 1. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, speaking about this law, emphasized that “this decision is a response to the request of society.” “We’ve received numerous appeals from citizens — residents of apartment buildings, who fear for their children, who suffer from noise and disorder created by visitors of such establishments. During the day they’re stores, and at night they’re pseudo-cafes that sell alcohol, circumventing the law.”

As Interfax mentions, regional authorities already had the right to ban the sale of strong alcoholic beverages in these stores.