29 March 2024, Friday, 14:14
Support
the website
Sim Sim,
Charter 97!
Categories

"We Do Not Want To Lose Our Mother": Story Of Sole Trader From Hrodna

9
"We Do Not Want To Lose Our Mother": Story Of Sole Trader From Hrodna

One particular case has become a reflector of the crisis in the Belarusian business.

Businesswoman from Hrodna Hanna Dashkina appealed to the Сharter97.org editorial office. The sole trader told us about the difficult life situation in which she has found herself.

The Hrodna businesswoman story reflects the crisis in the Belarusian business:

"I officially became a sole trader in 2014, but I did not start doing business right off. I was making a project and looking for prеmіsеs. I am engaged in ritual services: I sell wreaths, baskets, lamps.

The first year I worked on the project, building up experience and client contacts. In fact, I started work in February. I thought: when the business improves, I'll pay the National Social Security Fund fee. But the business did not pick up, it became only worse," – Hanna says.

Later the business got rolling and the sole trader started to pay contributions.

But the economic crisis in Belarus made its presence felt:

"It is very difficult for sole traders in Belarus now. There are a lot of different factors: communal bills, various tax deductions.

If there were taxes only – there would be a chance to make ends meet somehow. But in addition to taxes, there are a lot of different extra charges: settlement accounts, rent, cash registers. You have to pay for everything, and there is not enough money to pay for everything. But I do not want to give up my business either, because I invested a lot of strength and money in it," – Hrodna sole trader says.

The National Social Security Fund filed a lawsuit against Hanna Dashkina and then came the bailiffs' calls:

"It all started with the call of the bailiff: why you do not pay to the fund. And he threatened that if I did not pay the next day, they would come and knock down the door. I was really outraged as they were going to knock down the door without my presence.

The threats did not stop. We went to court and asked for a reprieve. I tried to explain that we were working hard. We asked to grant us a reprieve, but we were told that this was possible only if that Social Security Fund withdrew its claim.

We went to the Social Security Fund and heard that they could not withdraw the claim, as they would have problems with the prosecutor's office," – Hanna Dashkina says.

Constant threats and pressures resulted in the sole trader’s mother’s health problems:

"My mother takes it all very hard and I'm afraid that we might lose her. Her pressure rises and I do not know what will happen if they come to distrain the property. We do not want to lose our mother," – the Hrodna resident says.

Thousands of Belarusian sole traders have found themselves in a similar situation, being unable to make ends meet. Since the beginning of the year almost 27,800 sole traders have closed their business in Belarus. This trend continues for the third year in a row:

"It’s not only my situation. All the entrepreneurs get into this "trap". You pay contributions to the National Social Security Fund, but nobody knows what kind of pension there will be, and if you live to see it, or not.

Couldn’t they do something? After all, I’ve created new jobs, pay taxes, why do I get fined for my future pension? They closed my account, blocked the phone and made it impossible for me to travel abroad," – the woman sums up.

Write your comment 9

Follow Charter97.org social media accounts