Sole traders ready for new protests

Sole traders plan to visit the Eurasian Economic Commission on August 2 to discuss the Customs Union's technical regulations.

Charter97.org received this information from the public organisation Perspective.

“Many sole traders return to work. We have assurances from the authorities that no checks and repression will be carried out. We plan to visit the Consultative Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission in Moscow on August 2. Our organisation was invited there to discuss the issue of the technical regulations of the Customs Union. We will prepare,” the organisation said.

Representatives of the organisation underlined that the problem wasn't solved, but they hope the Belarusian government learnt the lesson from sole traders on June 27.

“Officials don't need to hurry taking into account the mess in Russia: the technical regulations is not being observed and no documents are ready. The Belarusian government had better understand that they shouldn't demand the impossible from Belarusian sole traders until importers, who import goods from Russia, have documents.

Judging by the fact that officials in regions begged sole traders to resume work, we think they don't want to create tension again. Our solidarity and power showed that we can organise very fast. We hope we will have a dialogue as equal parties without further problems. Sole traders want to work and earn, not to sit idle. We have struggled not to sit and just wait for positive changes, but to show the absurdity of the situation and show what we can do. If any official wants to check something, let he recall June 27 – we will protests again in case any checks are carried out,” sole traders say.

Belarusian sole traders held a national strike on June 27. Many markets in Minsk, regional centres and dozens of other towns across the country didn't work. Leader of sole traders Anatoly Shumchanka was detained by the police. The head of the public organisation Perspective received five days in custody.