Most markets closed since 1 January

• 4.01.2008, 13:44

More than 80 per cent of individual entrepreneurs haven’t come to work. Viktar Garbachou, leader of the campaign “For Free Development of Business” said it on 3 January.

Strike of individual entrepreneurs began on 1 January. The action of protest is directed against paragraph 1.1 of the president’s degree №760 of 29 December 2006, according to which individual entrepreneurs can employ only close relatives since 1 January 2007. The strike took form of mandatory leave with non-payment of taxes. It is planned to last till 15 January.

According to Garbachou, the strike has hit all big towns: about 80 per cent of entrepreneurs haven’t come to work in Saligorsk and Barysau, 90-95 per cent in Magilou, Rechytsa and Svetlagorsk. About 90 per cent of individual entrepreneurs in Brest support the national action of protest.

At the same time, V. Garbachou stressed, it is too early top speak about mass character of the strike, because many markets and shopping centers have days off.

Several hundreds of individual entrepreneurs gathered on one of the central squares in Magilou on 3 January. Entrepreneurs required the meeting with representatives of local authorities for solving the problems, arisen in the connection of the ban for entrepreneurs to employ people, who are not close relatives since 1 January.

According to V. Garbachou, entrepreneurs from regions phoned him as to the leader of entrepreneurs’ movement and complain, because they “don’t know how to live in future.” “People form the capital or area centers can find job, but there is no work in regions, especially for women,” V. Garbachou said.