Small Businessmen to take to streets on February 18
- 7.02.2008, 15:45
Leaders of the movement of entrepreneurs of Belarus have come out for holding a rally on October Square in Minsk on February 18.
At the moment many regional leaders say that after February 18 entrepreneurs should join the rally on Freedom Day March 25. “We are for repetition of Kalinouski Square, for small businessmen from all parts of Belarus to gather on the square with their demands,” told one of the leaders of entrepreneurs Ales Makaeu.
A member of the steering committee of entrepreneurs Ales Makaeu stated that entrepreneurs are getting ready for a meeting on February 18 in Minsk.
“We are for repetition of Kalinouski Square, we want entrepreneurs to rally and to make economic demands. We want small businessmen from all over Belarus to gather. On January 10 they were quite determined. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a leader to announce that. On January 21 they were ready as well. Tents were ready, and people were waiting for a statement, but nobody had made an address,” Makaeu said to Radio Svaboda.
As said by the leader of the campaign “For Free Development of Enterprise” Viktar Harbachou, there is no dialogue with the authorities on the issue of cancellation of the Decree No. 760. That is why entrepreneurs are in favour of a new rally on October Square in Minsk.
“Entrepreneurs’ understand it as a sign to take to streets on 18 February. The time will show what will be the next, as many regional leaders say it’s necessary to join the action on Freedom Day 25 March. If no decision is taken on the decree 760, entrepreneurs are to support political and public associations that decided to celebrate Freedom Day on 25 March.
Now, according to Viktar Harbachou, about 40 per cent of entrepreneurs don’t work for various reasons.
Meanwhile, the Baranavichy city executive committee denied holding rally on 11 February to entrepreneurs. The authorities explained the applicants didn’t allegedly point how the public peace, medical care and cleaning would be organised. Activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement Mikola Charnavus says it was “pointed in the application. But the authorities had no desire to permit the action.”
Nevertheless the Baranavichy entrepreneurs are going to come to the city park at 12.00pm on 11 February. Their main requirement is cancelling of the paragraph 1.1 of the decree 760, allowing them to employ only close relatives since 1 January. M. Charnavus says the rally will take place for certain. “People will come, because they have lost job. They have families, but they are not offered any job,” Mikola Charnavus explains.