Entrepreneurs: Government provokes social upheaval

It is already possible to observe demonstrations.

On Monday, February 16 in a Minsk hotel "Belarus" will be held an Economic Forum of Entrepreneurs led by Perspectiva Association, Radio Svaboda reports.

The Decree No. 222, according to which after March 1 the sale period of residual stock without certification is no longer valid under technical regulations of the Customs Union, will be a key issue. Traders note that most of the centers will be empty, and owners will file for bankruptcy.

The Decree "On Business Regulation and Sale of Goods by Individual Entrepreneurs" is adopted in support of the technical regulation "On Safety of Light Industry Products" and is valid from July 1, 2014. Under the document an entrepreneur must have certificates for the entire assortment imported. But it was allowed to sell residual stock imported before the Decree came into force until March 1, 2015. Entrepreneurs state that they will not be able to operate under new rules, so as it is almost impossible to obtain all the necessary documents from suppliers in the Russian wholesale markets.

At the end of the week Anatol Shumchanka, the Chairman of the Association Perspektiva, met with Iryna Kastsevich, the leadership of the Department of Enterprise of the Ministry of Economy and Deputy Minister of Economy. The representative was told that the Government decided neither to extend the residual stock period nor to amend the Presidential Decree accordingly. "This is a final order", Shumchanka stated.

Entrepreneurs remind that at the end of January, the Ministry of Trade said about the possibility to extend residual stock sale period without certificates. There were even three options: until December 31, 2015, until April 1, 2016 and unless the complete residual stock sale. But, however, the Government has decided not to meet entrepreneurs' needs.

Siarhei Ulasenka, the owner of a few pavilions in large shopping centers says that officials provoke a social upheaval:

"First, they make the feathers fly. In principle, one can already observe rumble. It does not mean that someone called or incited people, they themselves are raising against lawlessness!

Moreover, we are ready to meet and look for reasonable compromises, sit at the negotiating table. But we are being ignored! Do not touch entrepreneurs because, after all, you will destroy them as a class. See what is going on in Russia: if you start a business, then you get two years free from top lease rates, the same two years with no maximum taxes.

They have a difficult time too, but their officials try to meet needs of a small business. That is, you start your business and have two years what a result may be. What do we see here? They only suppress you. No one has given a penny, although it is said that small business "is invested billions". So where is this money? Nobody neither has seen or even heard about it. Everyone can prove you that is a complete idiocy, what billions? Perhaps, it is divided between close structures or sharing out. Yes, it is possible. But neither I nor my friends got anything of this "common share".

Despite the discontent, the Government continues to defend its own position. So, earlier, Valyantsіn Chakanau, the Minister of Trade, confirmed that the period of non-certified residual stock would not be extended. Anatol Shumchanka believes that it may lead to destruction of small business in a few months. However, half-empty malls and markets can already prove it.