Lukashenka got scared of entrepreneurial Maidan

The dictator warns entrepreneurs against “blackmailing the authorities” in connection with the changes in their operational conditions.

He spoke about that today at a meeting on the draft decree “On certain issues of retail sales by individual entrepreneurs and other natural persons”, - BelTA reports.

“Certain politicians out of the entrepreneurs, although they could hardly be called politicians, who represent the interests of entrepreneurs, try to blackmail the authorities, including the president, - Lukashenkais quoted by the state news agency BelTA. – What I would advise against is to make such statements in media, because that may backlash. It is pointless to frighten me. We will not allow a Maidan in our country”.

According to the dictator, “everything will be civilized, because entrepreneurs are the most advanced stratum of the society, oriented at all kinds of reforms”. “That is why if you want to live live, for example, in the West, we will provide you with such conditions. If you want to live like in Maidan (forgive me for that mention, I by no means want to intervene in Ukraine’s domestic affairs, it is just a good comparison), - this is not for Belarus”, - Lukashenka warned.

Speaking to entrepreneurs he claimed: “I know, you are not poor people and can order any kind of article in yellow press, but I would advise you against that, because you may and up a vice versa situation. And chase out all these Shumchankas, or whoever, so they do not even walk by you. They have nothing in common with you and what they need is something different”.

As to the coming decree, Lukashenka pointed out that the decision will be made based on the benefits first of all for the consumers, then the state and only then – entrepreneurs.

At the same time Lukashenka called entrepreneurs’ labour hard. “They have to drag themselves to Moscow, kneel before someone, bring these goods here in bags, agree on some discounts, so the prices are acceptable, then sell them here in coldness and heat. This is hard work, I am not flattering you, and apparently you are okay with it. I do not mind. But everything must be civilized”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“It is unacceptable to play with the state, trying to postpone decision making”, - he highlighted. “There must be no temporary decisions or half-measures. We have taken them in plenty”, - he noted.