Mass forfeiture of goods from market vendors

The authorities try to fill the budget at the cost of small businessmen.

Anatoly Shumchanka, the leader of the Perspective organisation, gave an interview to charter97.org.

“Mass checks began at the Zhadanovichy market some days ago. Their main target is private unitary enterprises. All goods were seized and taken away in some shops. As far as we know, the controlling bodies were instructed to carry out checks related to the activity of private unitary enterprises and employees. Goods are confiscated on legal grounds, but the laws and rules were worked out without our participation and our proposals. The controlling bodies can punish you in administrative proceedings and seize your goods if you didn't tear off a receipt or have wrong control marks on footwear,” he said.

Anatoly Shumchanka reminds that the authorities will monitor the implementation of the Customs Union's technical regulations, which were adopted on June 21, on markets starting November 1. The checks will be carried out by the State Standartisation Committee. According to the leader of small businessmen, many market vendors will face administrative responsibility and sanctions due to the monitoring.

“It will have 'daft' days. No one has fallen into a panic yet, but small businessmen worry about the situation. Representatives of the controlling bodies say in private conversations that it will be a hard time for us,” Anatoly Shumchanka said.

The leader of small businessmen turned attention to the fact that the controlling bodies became especially active lately.

“The state seems to have serious financial problems. As far as we know, the controlling bodies were instructed to carry out mass checks to fill the budget in the fourth quarter of the year. It is presented as 'struggling against violations', but the real reason is different. It's not a secret that all fines, confiscations and penalties go to the budget. They gave the green light to launch mass checks and seizures,” he said.

Anatoly Shumchanka noted that businessmen would gather for a forum on November 4 to decide what they should to in the current situation.

We remind that market vendors already had a warning strike in summer 2013 against the impossible requirements of the Customs Union's technical regulations. The authorities postponed the entry of the regulation into force until November. The technical regulations “On safety of light industry products” provides for documentary confirmation of the quality of goods, also those imported to Belarus from Russia (though the countries have the common customs area). To obtain the necessary documents, one needs to confirm the Russian quality certificates or to give a sample of goods for a special expert examination.

Photo from the archieve