From: "Rich Gauszka" 


"Antti Kurenniemi"  wrote
in message news:411129c3{at}w3.nls.net...
> I've done my service (not armed, but in civil service system) so that's
not
> me, but could be my kid brother. He's 19 now, and has barely any life
> outside the computer screen. Sad, really.
>
> Mind you, I do have other hobbies - why, just last night I was out
drinking
> till 4 in the morning! See, I'm one of the healthy youth!
>
>
> Antti Kurenniemi
>
>

Filling the Estonia coffers? :-)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=583&ncid=583&e=10&u=/nm/2004080
6/od_nm/odd_estonia_alcohol_dc


TALLINN (Reuters) - A rush of thirsty Finns making the short trip across to
neighboring Estonia to stock up on cheap booze and beer have boosted state
coffers in the small Baltic EU newcomer, the Finance Ministry said on
Thursday.



Revenues from alcohol taxes rose more than 40 percent in June from the same
period last year to 162 million kroons ($12.49 million) as Finns
booze-cruised to the ex-Soviet state, and early estimates suggest a similar
rise for July.


Finance Minister Taavi Veskimagi told Reuters EU entry had made it easier
to travel to and from Estonia.


"But it's not all about alcohol," he said, adding that he hoped
tourists would stay longer in the country and discover more of what Estonia
has to offer.


Finnish "Vodka tourists" have long been a fixture of Estonia's
capital Tallinn despite previous limitations on how much they could bring
back.


But now they can take back as much booze and brew as they can carry after
the small country of 1.4 million people joined the European Union  in May.


Estonia's Finance Ministry plans to raise the tax on strong liquor by 20
percent from next year, but Estonian prices on alcohol will still remain
far below Finnish levels.


A bottle of Estonian vodka currently cost around 5 to 6 euros ($6 to $7)
compared with just above 16 euros in Finland even after Finnish authorities
slashed alcohol taxes March in fear of the so-called "Vodka
rallies" spiraling out of control after EU enlargement.

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