俄國總統抑制伏特加酒價格上升

A few days ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

ロシア大統領 ウオッカ値上げを抑制

12月25日 21時53分

ロシアのプーチン大統領は、国を代表する酒ウオッカに関して、新年のお祝いで消費が大幅に増えるのを前に値上げを抑制する措置を打ち出し、通貨ルーブルの急落による経済の悪化でみずからの支持率が下がりかねないなかで、国民への配慮をアピールしたものとみられます。

ロシアでは、アルコール依存症の患者を減らそうと、政府が代表的な酒であるウオッカの最低価格をたびたび引き上げ、値上げを促す政策を取ってきました。
しかし、新年のお祝いでウオッカの消費量が大幅に増えるのを前に、プーチン大統領は２４日、政府の会議で、「アルコール依存症には対策を取らなければならないが、それは適切に行うべきだ」と述べ、値上げを抑制するため、ウオッカの最低価格を当面は据え置くよう指示しました。
一転して値上げの抑制にかじを切ったのは、プーチン大統領が、経済の悪化でみずからの支持率が下がりかねないなか、国民に配慮する姿勢をアピールしたものとみられます。
ロシアでは通貨ルーブルの急落によって食料品を中心に物価が上昇し続けていて、統計庁によりますと、この１年で鶏肉が２６％余り、砂糖が３８％余り値上がりしたということで、ウオッカも、地元メディアは小売価格が今後１０％余り上がるのは避けられないと伝えていました。

(試譯文)

Before consumption increased substantially in celebrating the new year using the liquor vodka which represented the country, Russia’s President Putin was thought to have proposed measures to restrain its price increase; this was seen as appealing to the people’s worry as his own approval rate could have fallen due to the financial deterioration caused by a slump in the ruble currency.

In order to reduce patients with alcohol-dependence syndrome in Russia, the Government often raised the lowest price of the vodka, which was the iconic liquor, and encouraged a policy to raise its price.

But before the consumption of vodka for celebrating the new year would increase substantially, President Putin on the 24th at a government meeting stated that "I have to take measures for alcohol dependence syndrome, that should be performed appropriately" and restrained a rise in price by directing that the lowest price for vodka might be left untouched as it was.

For President Putin, to change completely by steering towards suppressing a rise in price could be considered as posture that he wanted to appeal to people’s worry as his own approval rate could have fallen due to the financial deterioration.

In Russia due to the slump in the ruble currency, prices kept rising centering on food. It was said that in this year alone, according to the statistical agency, chicken rose in price by about 26 % while sugar by about 38 %. There was saying in the local media that vodka could not avoid going up from the present retail price by about 10 %.

Given the uncertain economic future, it seems that Russia’s inflation will continue to rise.