Mahilyou Sole Traders Rallied In Front Of Regional Committee In Support Of Meeting In Minsk

Several dozens of Mahilyou sole traders from different trading centres and market places of the city gathered in front of the regional executive committee on February 15.

Many businessmen stated that their presence on Lenin Square was related to support of their colleagues who were rallying in Minsk.

Several businessmen were sent by the community to talk on their behalf with the head of the entrepreneurship directorate Viktar Krasouski. They spent about an hour in the office of the official.

“We gathered to find out what we should do next,” – said one of the negotiators to Radio Svaboda. – We were answered: “Those who have documents – continue your work. No one is going to harm you. Tomorrow the session at the Economy Ministry is to take place, and the decree №222 is to be considered. Maybe there will be some new information.” All promises are just in words. They are not supported by any documents.”

While the delegation of small businessmen was carrying out negotiations in the regional executive committee, their colleagues on the square discussed the situation which occurred after the Decree №222 came into force.

To the question why they gathered near the regional executive committee, some people said that in this way they showed support to the meeting of sole traders in Minsk.

We remind that since January 1, 2016 Belarusian sole traders stopped trade massively. Since this date, under Lukashenka’s Decree №222, sole traders would not be able to sell consumer goods imported without certificates from the countries of the Customs Union. Spontaneous meetings of sole traders have been held in empty market places and shopping centres since early January 2016.

In January sole traders of Homel, Vitsebsk, Mahilyou and other towns of Belarus held numerous protest rallies near buildings of regional and city administration, demanding to reverse the Decree №222.

On February 15 a large-scale protest rally of sole traders was held on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk.