Private unitary enterprises will follow destiny of individual entrepreneurs
- Yury Bekhtserau “Belarusy i Rynok”
- 5.02.2008, 9:18
If private unitary enterprises take position of individual entrepreneurs in the economy tomorrow, they will turn into political opponents for the authorities and will be declared an uncivilised form of business subject to abolishment according to a proven scheme...
A range of powerful, by Belarusian estimate, entrepreneurs’ protest actions, held all around the country, has become a main event of January.
While theoretical discussions on the decree 760 were carried on, officials could cast doubt on seriousness of entrepreneurs’ intentions. After a decisive point was proclaimed at demonstrations, not only entrepreneurs showed their position.
There are no more doubts in the main question: the authorities know well what they are doing. It’s high time for other participants of the process to understand it. If it is a lobbyist corrupt operation, it can be successful only because interests of the big trade business and the authorities are the same. Some want to remove an economic competitor, others – a political one. Otherwise the “mopping up” wouldn’t have massive character. Individual entrepreneurs, working in rural zone, moreover those who deal with services and manufacture, don’t hinder the trade nets. But microbusiness is being destroyed as a class. It is becoming clear now, why adopting of the decree 760 wasn’t transparent, why the officials don’t want to listen to the argument of the other party on negotiations.
It explains the logics of the authorities, who number the individual entrepreneurs and their employees, who have bravery to take square, among oppositionists. And they use the proved means of struggle against them: riot militia, misinformation in media. Striking similarities can be noticed even in details. Leaders of entrepreneurs, like opposition leaders, begin to use “foul language” and receive arrests for that.
It’s clear, that some people will try to adapt, learn to live in a new way. They will re-register into private unitary enterprises. But it can hardly save the microbusiness.
The Belarusian authorities are not satisfied with the situation, when large amount of people own property and are independent economically in some degree. If private unitary enterprises take position of individual entrepreneurs in the economy tomorrow, they will turn into political opponents for the authorities and will be declared an uncivilised form of business subject to abolishment according to a proven scheme.