Entrepreneurs to take to October Square in January
- 22.12.2007, 16:22
Entrepreneurs are preparing themselves for new protests against Lukashenka’s degree №760. The leaders of entrepreneurs’ associations and movement declared it.
Ales Makayeu, member of the Coordinating Council of entrepreneurs, said in the interview to Radio Svaboda that entrepreneurs are going to hold a meeting on October (Kastrychnitskaya) Square in Minsk on 10-11 January. “The decree №760 is destroying most of the entrepreneurs. We have no future for tomorrow. We realise it,” one of the leader of the entrepreneurs’ movement says.
According to Anatol Shumchanka, leader of the republican association “Perspektiva”, only many-thousand action of protest can solve the problems of entrepreneurs, as it was in 2005.
“We will prepare the March of Entrepreneurs. It is obvious already. Actions of protest give us an opportunity to defend our business at least on micro level. If the state tights the repressions, we will answer appropriately. The protests will grow stronger. Only by such a way we can make the authorities search for a compromise,” Shumchanka said.
Leaders of the campaign “for free development of entrepreneurship Viktar Harbachou and Viktar Kalej are still serving the 15-days arrest. They were detained on December 10 during an unsanctioned protest rally on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk. According to the coordinator of the campaign Ales Taustyka, entrepreneurs are getting ready for a strike and plan to take a leave from January 1 without paying a tax.
Over this month the leader of the country is to issue two decrees, No. 8 and No. 9. It is allowed to create a new economic entity within 5 days; a number of obstacles are removed. According to the economist Syarhei Balykin, now legal entities can be more competitive as compared to individual entrepreneurs. The second decree gives tax allowances for rural entrepreneurs, who also can take uncovered credits up to 20,000 Euro.
“But it’s hard to say how it will work in practice. It is possible that there will be no credit resources in our country. There are reasons for extrajudicial liquidation of economic entities. There are many grounds for denial in registration. Another thing is that it is easier to avoid these restrictions now. Many statutory acts in support of small business have been adopted, but not many of them were fulfilled”, the economist said.
According to Syarhei Balykin, it is possible that the Decree No.760 of January 1 which allows hiring only relatives, would be postponed. “If we would be able to achieve that, it would be rather good, as some talks and protest rallies could be carried out in this period. Some steps, rather good, could be made for our work. However, unfortunately, our individual entrepreneurs and business in general, both small and large-scale, are indisposed for civic engagement. And if entrepreneurs wouldn’t fight for their rights, their future would be very dim,” S. Balykin is convinced.