Poll: Most Czechs want alcohol sold in liquor stores only

Prague, Sept 18 (CTK) - More than three-fourths of Czechs support the idea of alcohol being sold only in special shops controlled by the state, according to a flash poll that the STEM/MARK agency conducted on 521 people for Czech Television (CT) yesterday.

Such a system is applied in Scandinavia, for example. In the Czech Republic, alcohol has been available in nearly all shops and it is served in street kiosks and stalls.

Last week, however, the Czech government imposed a ban on alcohol sales in reaction to an increasing number of methanol poisoning cases. The victims drank tainted alcohol. Their official number reached 23 tonight.

The poll showed that 37 percent of adult Czechs do not drink hard liquor. The rest said they drink spirits regularly or at least exceptionally.

CT reported that the Finance Ministry has been considering the possibility of alcohol being sold only in some shops, but it is merely one of the possible solutions to the problem.

Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said earlier yesterday the government would like to renew liquor sales within a few days.

According to the poll, 95 percent of Czechs have not seen any violation of the ban on liquor sales since its recent introduction in the country.

But a majority of the people said they believe "prohibition" would not prevent further cases of methanol poisoning from occurring.

kva/dr/ms