Leaders of entrepreneurs supported protest rally

The coordinating council of individual entrepreneurs will support protest rallies of businessmen in December 2008 and January 2009. Such a decision has been adopted on November 13 at the session of the council.

The BelaPAN has been informed about that by one of the leaders of entrepreneur’s movement Alyaksandr Makaeu.

As said by him, participants of the council have adopted a decision to prepare two addresses: the first one to the government of the country with a request for a moratorium for changes in the conditions of work in small and medium business in connection with the crisis, which will increase the number of unemployed and worsen standards of living in the country. The second call is addressed to individual entrepreneurs, they are urged to support mass rallies for defense of their rights.

“The regime is not going to start an open dialogue with entrepreneurs, and they are not going to solve our problems. They are doing everything now to destroy the private business in the country, grossly violating the constitution. That is why we do not hope for relations of compromise with the regime, and will defend our rights by mass protest rallies.

We support protest rallies of different organisations of entrepreneurs. On December 10 a strike of entrepreneurs, on December 15 a demonstration of small businessmen are planned. On January 10 businessmen will hold a mass rally on October Square if laws which won’t be reversed,” Alyaksandr Makaeu said.

He reminded that on January 1, 2009 the Decree No. 760 expires, which would cause dozens thousands of individual entrepreneurs cease their work. Since the new year the part 3 of the Decree No. 285 “On some measures for regulating business activities” of June 18, 2005 will expire as well. Goods from third countries offered for free circulation in Russia and imported by Belarusian individual entrepreneurs will be subjected to customs clearance and customs dues.

“The authorities haven’t found time to create acceptable conditions for import of small batches of goods, haven’t simplified the procedure of declaring, haven’t annulled enormous payments and tests for receiving certificates of quality and hygiene. Accounting documents haven’t been simplified. Businessmen haven’t been prepared by the authorities for work in new conditions, and the situation with leftover of goods is not clear yet,” Alyaksandr Makaeu said.