Slovak press praises Slovak ban on Czech liquor

Bratislava, Sept 19 (CTK) - The ban on imports of Czech spirits to Slovakia is a correct decision which, however, should have been made earlier, Slovak press writes yesterday.

Spirits with over 20 percent alcohol content made in the Czech Republic cannot be imported to Slovakia and sold there since Tuesday afternoon.

"After five days of prohibition in the Czech Republic, the Slovak government did what it should have done immediately when the methanol scandal broke out," says newspaper Pravda.

There is no way of ruling out that apart from quality branded spirits, a large amount of doubtful alcoholic drinks gets to Slovakia.

Now it is up to the Czech Republic. If its government does not make order in alcohol at home, there is no reason to change the decision, the daily notes, recalling that the Czech Republic itself has not banned exports of alcoholic beverages.

Slovakia is not much different from the other EU countries as regards consumption of alcoholic drinks but in spirits consumption, it has got ahead of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, Pravda remarks.

"The ban on imports of alcoholic drinks from the Czech Republic is therefore more than well founded," it adds.

The ban is neither the result of backstage manoeuvring nor a measure to back domestic liqueur producers, says daily Hospodarske noviny.

"Health of people and their lives are at stake. The methanol scandal has fully shown that control over Czech alcohol producers has failed completely," the daily notes.

The newspaper adds that everything indicates that the business in tainted alcoholic beverages is ingrained in the Czech Republic. It therefore considers the decision of Slovak authorities as right.

"This lesson will undoubtedly cost Czechs billions of crowns," the commentator remarks.

Newspaper Sme points at how fast Slovak Agriculture Minister Lubomir Jahnatek has changed his stance to the ban on imports of Czech spirits.

Sme questions what made Jahnatek change his mind as still on Monday he did not look like wanting to comply with the calls for such measure.

And what does the main hygienist say? Still on Monday he "had everything under control", the daily recalls earlier statements of authorities that there was no reason for banning imports of Czech spirits.