Parliament re-bans public alcohol consumption
Parliament has approved an amendment that reverses the permissive open container law that took effect this summer.
The amendment passed with 69 votes in favor and one against. Seven MPs remained neutral.
The law now once again forbids alcohol consumption in public places, unless stated otherwise.
The amendment will likely enter into force 10 days after the president promulgates it. The president is expected to sign the law in the next few days.
Local municipalities can elect to allow public drinking in specified locations.
The amendment passed on Wednesday is a reversal of the much-maligned surprise decision to allow public consumption of alcohol in most places nationwide from July 1.
Later that summer, Tallinn and other muncipalities banned public drinking on their territory. In Tallinn's case, the city put signs near the Parliament and the presidential residence that said drinking was allowed in those places. However, the "drinking allowed" signs that it had installed proved popular and vanished almost overnight.
Editor: M. Oll, K. Rikken