The Swede pointed out the shortcomings in the organization of compulsory treatment for alcoholism

December 1, Minsk. Prosecutors have revealed systemic shortcomings regarding the compulsory treatment of people suffering from chronic alcoholism and having committed crimes on this basis, Prosecutor General Andrey Shved told reporters before a meeting of the board of the supervisory authority, BelTA has learned.

"As for the application of the Criminal Code in terms of compulsory treatment of persons suffering from chronic alcoholism who have committed crimes, systemic shortcomings have also been identified. They are primarily related to the fact that there is no clear legal regulation of the procedure for exchanging information between healthcare institutions and internal affairs bodies," Andrey Shved noted.

Also, according to him, there is no legal regulation that stipulates the time frame for informing the health authorities of the police, other interested parties about the results of such treatment and, in general, a person’s ability to take the path of correction.

There are systemic shortcomings associated with the lack of a mechanism to control the treatment of people with chronic alcoholism. Other problematic issues related to the prevention of chronic alcoholism and drug use have also been noted.

The Prosecutor General said that law enforcement officers annually over the past six years have identified an average of more than 15 thousand crimes committed while intoxicated . This year there is a slight increase - a little more than 5%, and this trend is also the subject of discussion at the meeting. At the same time, the number of people sent by internal affairs bodies for compulsory treatment also increased this year, which is associated with more active work of the law enforcement bloc.

Andrei Shved added that a number of state bodies, interdepartmental associations, including a special commission under the government, deal with these issues in the country. "Today we will see how these structures - departmental, interdepartmental - carry out the work that is related to prevention, including alcohol abuse, drug use," Andrey Shved noted.

The main issue being considered today at a meeting of the board of the Prosecutor General's Office is the prevention of chronic alcoholism, drug addiction and substance abuse. The prosecution authorities, on behalf of the head of state, studied this issue this year and identified a number of systemic shortcomings in the work of both state bodies and the subjects of prevention of these negative phenomena.

The meeting is attended by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko, Education Minister Andrei Ivanets, Health Minister Dmitry Pinevich, Deputy Interior Minister - head of the criminal police Gennady Kazakevich.