Minsk market traders don't work

Most market sellers closed their stalls on Sunday.

Only a few stalls were working at the Zhdanovichy market. Pavilions both in the street and in malls were closed, onliner.by reports.

According to bystanders, a group of traders gathered at Mir Mody 1 shopping centre, but they went away shortly afterwards. The market was empty. Only a few sellers who had certificated continued to work. There are notices on many pavilions that explain the closure with the requirement to “have the full package of documents”.

According to sole traders, about 80% of market sellers did not work across the country.

March 1 was the deadline for sole traders who pay single tax to sell the goods they brought from the Customs Union member states without document confirming the purchase of the goods. Deputy minister of economy of Belarus Dzmitry Kruty said yesterday that controllers would not impose sanctions on sellers that sell clothes without certificates until the adoption of a new decree.

The Forum of Small Businessmen, which was held in Minsk lately, failed to achieve the main aim – postponing the coming into force of Lukashenka's decree No.222 that obliges sellers to have accompanying documents for all items on sale. Trading without accompanying documents will be prohibited in a week. Traders will be fined 9 million rubles for violations and their goods will be confiscated.

Controlling agencies have been to carrying out checks on a large scale and confiscating goods for the last few months.