Entrepreneurs massively close business

Individual entrepreneurs are forced to close business because of lack of profits.

An entrepreneur from Minsk Viachaslau Pilipuk, the representative of the Republican Public Association "Perspektiva", told Radio Svaboda commenting on the situation.

"The cost of one square metre here when buying property reached $ 7.000. We have had a talk with entrepreneurs trading in here. They say: "I used to have six small shops, now I have only one. Now, even if I am offered a square meter per a thousand dollars, I will not even buy it". Why did it happen? It is all because those economic officials in power have not managed to find a way of growing well-being of citizens.

Why do entrepreneurs leave today their rented places and close their business, brought them profit? It is unprofitable. The reason is an absence of purchasing power. Only when a citizen is sure about his tomorrow, he will spend his money. Today citizens have no free money, and they buy not what they want, but what they only need. It's food. Therefore, we believe that today the Government and officials should look for very wise optimal solutions. It will happen only when entrepreneurs themselves are involved in the process of decision making", he said.

The entrepreneur mentioned that taxes also had affected business.

"We also emphasize the meaning of creation of favourable conditions for development of small- and medium-size business. Today we see that officials have taken the other way to replenish the budget: and it's not the stimulation of entrepreneurship, that brings a profit and gives a possibility to pay taxes. they have taken the way of confiscations, fines and so on. How is it performed? It is very simple - they create unfavourable business conditions, unrealistic requirements for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs certainly cannot work in these conditions, but they have to support their families and actually they violate the law, and then inspectors confiscate their goods. It's is a story with not a happy ending. Therefore, we have always proposed: let's get together to think and find the way out of the current difficult economic situation", he said.

On 16 February Perspectiva is planning to hold a forum with representatives of all regions of Belarus, where there will be raised the most acute problems of the business community. Officials of concerned government departments are also asked.