Anatoly Shumchanka: Authorities begin to eliminate small businessmen as class

The small business community was shocked by Prakapovich's recent remarks.

Anatoly Shumchanka, the head of the organisation Perspective, spoke to charter97.org about Prakapovich's statement that starting December 1 small businessmen wouldn't be allowed to sell goods that don't meet the requirements of the Customs Union's technical regulations.

“It is an unprecedented decision. It is the first time during Lukashenka's rule when the arrangements between the business and the authorities formalised in legislation have been changed so quickly and treacherously. The small business community is shocked. Prakapovich's statement cannot be called other than a provocation. If you know that businessmen cannot prepare certificates by the end of the month even if they want and they won't be able to work and pay taxes since December 1 having to take days off, why do you take this decision? To destabilise the situation? Let Lukashenka look for the fifth column in his team. Why do they do foreseeable things?” the leader of the small business movement said.

Anatoly Shumchanka thinks the authorities probably want to use small businessmen in their game or they don't know how to fill the budget.

“They can ask our advice. We are ready to give it. But they cannot deprive businessmen of their means of living in one day. Prakapovich likes to heat up the situation. They authorities themselves create problems to solve them 'heroically'. Or they made a political decision to eliminate small businessmen. We have a forum of small businessmen on November 4. I received many phone calls today. People say they won't pay taxes starting from December 1. They simply cannot work under new rules,” the head of Perspective said.

Deputy prime minister of Belarus Piotr Prakapovich said yesterday that starting from December 1 small businessmen wouldn't be allowed to sell goods without documents confirming their quality and safety in accordance with the requirements of the Customs Union's technical regulations on safety of light industry products.