Entrepreneurs may go on strike from 1 January

Individual entrepreneurs are going have 30-day strike from 1 January. This decision was taken on the results of consultation between members of the initiative “For Free Development of Enterprise” and the Republic Coordinative Council of Entrepreneurs.

Alyaksandr Makayeu, one of the leaders of the Republic Coordinative Council of Entrepreneurs, said to BelaPAN.

“From the one hand we spoke for holding a strike, – he said. – We support entrepreneurs. But according to laws an entrepreneur has right to have 30-day holiday without paying taxes and leasing charge. So we will suggest entrepreneurs to write an application for holiday and register it”.

The consultation participants second a decision on participation in the entrepreneurs meeting, which is to be held on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk on 2 December. The application for the meeting is being examined by the Minsk City Executive Committee now. The action’s objective is cancelling paragraph 1.1 of the president’s decree №760, according to which individual entrepreneurs can employ only close relatives from 1 January.

According to A. Makayeu, one more meeting on Kastrychnitskaya Square is planned to be held 10 January 2008. “In spite of many difficulties this decision was taken. Both meetings aim at consolidation of the entrepreneurs’ community against decrees and edicts, limiting the activity of entrepreneurs,” Makayeu said.

He also noted that the authorities have reacted in a “specific way” to the plans of individual entrepreneurs. “Administration of markets in the regions and heads of ideological departments have already begun to ask whether entrepreneurs will go to the meeting in Minsk on 10 December, what are the action’s objectives, how serious are the problems of entrepreneurs, what forecasts they have. It means they monitor the sentiments among entrepreneurs. The authorities show their nervous reaction to the initiatives of protest,” A. Makayeu said.