Gorbachev acknowledged perestroika anti-alcohol campaign mistake – RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, May 15 – RIA Novosti. Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev acknowledged that the anti-alcohol campaign of thirty years ago in the form in which was conducted, was a mistake: it was not necessary to restrict the sale of alcohol and provoke moonshine, had planned to fight alcoholism, act gradually – and not “on the head with an ax”.

When Gorbachev in 1985 was declared a regular in the history of Soviet anti-alcohol campaign – the so-called Gorbachev’s prohibition. Prices of alcohol increased, the sale – limited, vineyards were cut down, the sugar necessary for distilling – only cards. This led to an increase in consumption of moonshine and surrogates, was a blow to the budget, however, during this period decreased mortality, increased life expectancy, reduced the number of crimes alcoholism.

“I think that the anti-alcohol campaign still was an error in the form in which it was carried out. It overlaps with the closure of shops, especially in Moscow. Huge queues. The growth of brewing. The sugar disappeared from the stores. We had not carried out the campaign, systematic long struggle with alcoholism. sobering society can not be held swoop. It takes years. And we must continually fight, all the time. I think that now it is necessary to fight alcoholism. If we have thrown it will be even worse, “- Gorbachev said in an interview with” Komsomolskaya the truth “.

According to the ex-president of the USSR, in previous years, the top anti-alcohol campaign,” the people had a real spree, “” completely divorce “, it was felt everywhere. Gorbachev said in an interview that he was not the direct initiator of the campaign, this process began under his predecessor as general secretary of the CPSU Central Committee – Leonid Brezhnev.

“By that time, the Central Committee for six years in planning anti-alcohol measures. began under Brezhnev … Honestly, Leonid Ilyich (Brezhnev) was forced to agree with this idea, “- he said, noting that Brezhnev was at first opposed to the idea, so the campaign dragged on, -” but gradually and prepared. ” Gorbachev reaffirmed that by the time he came to power anti-alcohol campaign program was ready. Recalling the course of the campaign, Gorbachev said that “it was not necessary to close the trade and provoke moonshine. We had to do everything gradually. Not on the head with an ax.” This, according to him, of course, was a mistake.

“There were obvious failures – low hole turn. But there was a positive thing – a reduction in mortality of children born has increased. During the anti-alcohol campaign, died at 1, 6 million less than in previous years. Sharply reduced the number of accidents at work, on the roads, “- said the former president of the Soviet Union.

As for the cutting of vines, which caused a lot of criticism, Gorbachev said that I did not give such instructions. “I have such instructions, of course, did not give. On the contrary, it was just that the food was not enough grapes. All it took for wine,” – he said.