Taxmen started raiding merchandise markets

Enhanced raids are already carried out in Hrodna, Minsk and some regional centres.

It has been said in an interview to charter97.org website by one of the leaders of the movement of self-employed businessmen, Alyaksandr Makeeu.

- Sole traders from regions have stated they are ready to carry out a strike on July 7 on Kastrychnitskaya (October Square), but businessmen from Minsk are waiting for statements of leaders in order to get act together, — he says.

- The Forum of Entrepreneurs is planned to be held in Minsk on June 30. How do you believe, what it is necessary for businessmen to do right now?

- I believe that now they should send to the Court of the CIS their collective appeals to the Eurasian Commission signed by sole traders. In the agreement of the Eurasian Commission. It is written in black and white: “no deterioration of economic entities’ situation” should take place, while small business is being destroyed in Belarus now. They should lodge complaints against large manufacturers, for them to make certificates, for any of their documents, even without invoices, but every cash order, to be recognized by tax organs and has official status. Otherwise it looks like a criminal economic life.

- What changes in the work of sole traders have happened already?

- Since July 1 people at the border could be already monitored and their goods confiscated on the way to the market. Arrests of goods are soon to come probably. For example, yesterday I was told by sole traders that raids took place in Hrodna, taxmen stopped cars and checked documents and presence of control stamps at the roads leading to the market.

In Kobryn documents were checked as well. In Minsk, in “Impuls” shopping centre, arrest of goods worth 500 mln has taken place. In Vitsebsk region a strike took place, and they reached an agreement that checks are to be halted for some time. But in fact, only the stock could be sold without accompanying documents. It concerns dozens of thousands of people, and markets are to be shut down.

- But some sole traders work in accordance with a simplified taxation procedure. Will they be able to save their business?

- These novelties are to affect negatively even those who work under the simplified taxation system, as customers will disappear and markets and shopping malls are to be closed. It is a common problem, and it is not the occasion for rejoicing, as if their rivals are being smothered. It is a mopping-up operation at all markets and shopping centres. But if all sole traders would be able to work out a strategy, to stand together and present a united front, propagate information about their plans, and then we shall gather on the square, as we have a right for that. Crackdown is sure to follow, but in such a case the authorities are to make concessions.

We remind that recently sole traders were offered a respite until March 1, 2015 for selling the stock in trade of consumer goods imported to Belarus before July 1, 2014, which do not have documents about their conformity to the Customs Union’s technical regulations.