Businessman who threatened government by riot, went missing

A director of an international cargo company Syarhei Shtoda was put into a corner by the authorities: over the last few months he was presented a fine of €80,000 for alleged violations of rules concerning carriage of goods within the network of BelToll toll road.

Yesterday his account was blocked because of debts, as the businessman refuses to pay them off. He considers everything that has happened a technical error, as the sum of money was growing every day, and he, as thousands other businessmen, was not receiving any notifications about violations.

Yesterday in an interview to charter97.org Syarhei shared his plans: to take part in the last talks with a representative of the government, Vice Premier Vasily Matsyusheuski, and after that, in case of failure to receive sympathy of the authorities and an amnesty from fines, to head the protest of a thousand of businessmen, who had been hit in the same way. The rally was planned for February 4, at 9 a.m. in Savetskaya Street, 11, in front of the building of the Council of Ministers.

A journalist of charter97.org was to get in touch with the businessman today morning, after the meeting with the official, however since the noon his phone was switched off, only voice mail was active.

The wife of the businessman, Volha Yurkojts, told that she could not talk to her husband since morning as well.

“I have not been able to contact him myself yet. He planned to visit another official at 10 a.m. Maybe he is still there, as he is not available on the phone… It is possible his phone battery is down. I think he will call back when it would be possible,” she said.

We remind that directors of international cargo firms have been sentenced to huge fines, about 50,000 – 80,000 Euro, because of imperfection of the new system of toll roads, BelToll. It means bankruptsy for many of them, and officials are shrugging their shoulders, referring to a human factor, because of which violators had not been initially informed about fines, which are charged almost every day, at a high speed. Directors of firms threatened to take to the streets, and even block the ring road, or even burn their trailer trucks in a protest.