European Spirits Organisation criticises stamp plan

The European Spirits Organisation has complained about the order to re-issue duty stamps and called on the government to end the prohibition. The current system of duty stamps, they say, does not impede counterfeiting or the black market, as the stamps are easy to falsify, are often reused and their absence on bottles overlooked. The government imposed the ban on beverages with an alcohol content of more than 20% on September 14. The prohibition is reportedly costing the government 25 million crowns a day in lost tax revenues.