Sanitary authorities in Minsk suggest removing retail kiosks :: Charter'97 :: News

The sanitary authorities in Minsk have suggested removing all private retail kiosks in the city, explaining that they lack access to sewerage and are an eyesore.

Retail kiosks are currently located only at bus and trolleybus stops in the Belarusian capital.

In an interview with BelaPAN, Fyodar Hermanovich, head of the Minsk City Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that "order should always be both inside and outside the kiosk, and there`s none at present."

The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from the Perspektyva small business association. "We see an attempt at ruining the small retail trade network in the city of Minsk," said Anatol Shumchanka, leader of the group. "This form of trade has proved a success: both ministers and workers buy goods in the kiosk. We struggled to keep kiosks back in 2003. They were moved to bus stops, farther away from stores then."

The activist said that the proposal was aimed at helping stores get bigger revenues, predicting that it would be extremely unpopular with Minsk residents.