Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Law and Justice, declared that he would personally support the introduction of a nationwide ban on alcohol sales during nighttime hours. However, he emphasized that for now he is only expressing his private opinion, since “this is a matter for the party’s decision.“
On Wednesday, in a parliamentary corridor, Jarosław Kaczyński was asked whether, in his view, alcohol sales in Poland should be restricted. He replied that “at the moment, alcohol consumption is definitely too high,” but stressed that choosing the right methods to combat alcoholism is “always a contentious issue.“
Nationwide Nighttime Prohibition. What Does Law and Justice Think?
When pressed on whether Law and Justice would support the introduction of a nationwide ban on alcohol sales during nighttime hours, Kaczyński responded that, for the moment, he can speak “only on my own behalf, because this is a matter for the party’s decision.” However, he added: “I would support it.“
The PiS leader underlined that in the fight against alcoholism “different methods have to be tried,” hoping that “maybe one of them will bring clear, tangible results.” He also drew attention to situations he has personally witnessed: “Very often, even late at night, I am somewhere on the streets of Warsaw, coming back from somewhere, and I see people standing and waiting at places where alcohol can be bought – these are overwhelmingly young people, often, unfortunately, also women.“
He further added: “Please remember that for a man to fall into alcoholism as a disease, he must drink excessively for 20 years, whereas for a woman, only two.“
The Left Proposal
The day before, on Tuesday, Left submitted to the Sejm a draft law aimed at reducing alcohol availability. The proposed regulations include, among others, a nationwide ban on alcohol sales at gas stations and during nighttime hours (10:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m.), as well as a total ban on the advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages, including beer.
The draft also provides for mandatory age verification when purchasing alcohol, a ban on sales at prices lower than the combined excise duty and VAT, limiting online sales to in-person pickup with ID verification, and a ban on sales in medical facilities. In the justification, it was emphasized that the aim of the proposal is to reduce the excessive availability of alcohol and to counteract its promotion.