The immediate sealing of the store and the initiation of criminal charges for the distribution of alcoholic beverages to minors, including tobacco products, includes, among other things, a package of measures that is already being processed by an interministerial committee of the government, following the recent incidents with minors who after using alcohol in a dangerous condition they were taken to a hospital.
According to “Vima” information, the government’s actions include administrative, police and criminal measures, in an attempt to control the currently uncontrolled situation, as the distribution of alcohol to minors as well as tobacco or other addictive products unfortunately is widespread.
In particular, according to the same information, the measures to deal with the provision of alcohol to minors will include the immediate sealing of the store, bar, entertainment center or any other that is found by the police authorities, following a complaint or ex officio inspection, to have alcoholic beverages, other addictive or tobacco products to minors.
The events
All relevant events will now be considered and provided for by law as public and not as private, in order to have the possibility of control by the Police, which is not the case today, as the Police can only control public events and not private ones.
In addition, the criminal sanctions for the distribution of alcoholic beverages to minors are being reinstated – they had been abolished under the SYRIZA government.
The misdemeanor criminal charges will concern, according to information from the Ministry of Justice, the managers of the store or place where alcoholic beverages are available, with the prescribed penalties amounting to five years in prison.
And tobacco products
At the same time, the parents of the minors will also have criminal responsibilities, as a law has already been passed – which is in force – which imposes penalties of up to five years for neglecting minors on their parents who, for whatever reason, do not protect their children and leave them exposed to danger. The specific provisions for the neglect of minors will henceforth also apply to the consumption of alcohol, addictive or tobacco products.
The measures to protect minors from the consumption of harmful substances (alcohol, etc.) are expected to be submitted soon for a vote in the Parliament, while they are already the subject of advanced processing by co-competent ministries, under the supervision of the Minister of State Aki Skertsou. The ministries of Citizen Protection, Justice, Health and Interior participate in the legislative elaboration of the measures.
The legislation
Until now there was no protective legislation for the supply of alcoholic beverages to minors, as the relevant criminal provisions had been abolished as part of the widespread decriminalization under SYRIZA, and police checks had also been abolished by law at all private events, despite the fact that the law provided for the prohibition of the distribution of alcohol to minors, but this prohibition was invalidated by the provision of the same law that the Police can only public events controls.
In the context of administrative sanctions, among other things, the obligation of the seller in wine cellars, entertainment centers, bars etc. to request a document (police ID or any other) certifying that the buyer of alcoholic products is not a minor is established.
The controls
Also, in the provisions for checks on the distribution of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or others, the relevant responsibility is assigned to the Greek Police, which is expected to be assisted by the Municipal Police, the Coast Guard or the National Transparency Authority. Regarding the new regulations, a product of the intense concern that is widespread about the widespread illegality of the distribution of alcohol – with all that it entails – to minors, it is worth adding the reasonable remark that the legislative provisions for sanctions, administrative, criminal and other, are absolutely necessary, as long as they are applied consistently and systematically and not only occasionally, as is usually the case…
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