28 March 2024, Thursday, 12:13
Support
the website
Sim Sim,
Charter 97!
Categories

50,000 small businessmen ready to leave Belarus

198
50,000 small businessmen ready to leave Belarus

The authorities make small businessmen leave the country.

Anantoly Shumchanka, the head of the public association Perspective, said it in an interview with charter97.org.

“All small businessmen are at a loss. They ask themselves what they should do and how they should live. Some stopped buying goods, some continue to buy, but no one, except for a few percent, think they will work under new rules. People won't go to work and pay taxes starting December 1. The problem is that regional executive committees gathered market vendors on October 30 and tries to persuade them to pay taxes saying there would be no problems until July 1, but the next day, October 31, Prakapovich made his statement,” the leader of the small businessmen movement said.

The head of Perspective thinks the situation won't improve, because the authorities chose the road of force, chose to implement the technical regulations.

“Lukashenka can issue a decree ordering the Belarusians to fly to Mars and live there, but the question is how it can be fulfilled and how local officials will implement the decree that doesn't allow us to live and work. I think it will be difficult for the authorities to fulfil what they want and not to have negative consequences. They need to involve riot policemen to perform checks on markets and confiscate goods as it was in Vitebsk. They are not able to seize all goods. It will definitely lead to social protests after the impossible decrees come into force. If the authorities want the effect, we won't hinder them. Many market vendors are ready to leave for Russia or Ukraine if the authorities don't stop. It is approximately 40% or 50% of about 100,000 small businessmen registered in Belarus. We need to understand that if it is not stopped and people don't pay taxes, the authorities won't sit idly. They shoot themselves in the foot,” Anatoly Shumchanka said.

We remind that small businessmen held the forum in Minsk on November 4. A harsh resolution was adopted. The meeting was devoted to the problem of the entry into force of the Customs Union's technical regulations in safety of light industry products.

The forum was caused by the statement by Belarusian deputy PM Piotr Prakapovich, who said on October 31 that starting December 1 market vendors won't be allowed to sell goods without the documents confirming their quality and safety in accordance with the Customs Union's technical regulations on safety of light industry products.

Write your comment 198

Follow Charter97.org social media accounts