Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday passed a bill allowing advertisements of domestically produced beer and wine to be shown on radio stations and television channels, partly repealing a 2012 ban on alcohol advertisements that was meant to help combat endemic alcoholism.
The new legislation will take effect on Jan. 1 if the upper house of parliament and President Vladimir Putin give it the green light. It will not completely undo the blanket ban of 2012, but will ease up on advertisers by allowing ads for Russian wine and alcohol between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., news agency RIA Novosti reported.
The amendments do not legalize ads for foreign-produced alcohol. Alcohol ads will still be banned during live broadcasts and broadcasts of children's athletic competitions, the report said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the legislation had not yet been published on the State Duma's official website.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
