Entrepreneurs strike postponed for October :: Charter'97 :: News

Today leaders of the “For Free Development of Entrepreneurship“ movement declared cancellation of the previously announced strike of the markets of Belarus .What are the reasons for such decision?

6 August in Svetlagorsk private sellers came out to the square in front of the building of the district executive committee protesting against confiscation of goods by fiscal officials. They claimed compensation for the confiscated goods.

Top management of the Svetlagorsk district executive committee didn’t promise quick settlement of the situation.

“We decided that instead of 10-15 towns going on strike today it’s better to use September for preparation for a larger-scale action. Thus, we have postponed the strike date and will use the time for meeting with the activists all over Belarus and for preparing as well as possible for the strike in October”, leader of the Svetlagorsk entrepreneurs Anatol Zmitrovich declared to the Radio Svaboda.

In August the entrepreneurs from Babruisk also held the meeting. Their today’s attitude is commented by Alena Myadzvedzyava, chairman of the self-defense committee at the agricultural market, to the Svaboda.

“They stopped frequenting our market .It means relaxation of the pressure; the fiscal service itself is scared. They do not wish any troubles, any noise around them. But we haven’t seized preparing for the action. We shall take part in it but 1 September is not a realistic date. We are going to Minsk and there we’ll decide when to call people for the action”.

The entrepreneurs decided themselves to postpone the envisaged for September action to October .That is because many of them paid the taxes in advance. Apart from that, there was no active preparation for the action “, entrepreneur from Retchisa Aleg Shabetnik says.

The situation is commented by leader of the unregistered “Movement for Development of the Entrepreneurship” Viktar Garbachiou:

“The strike intension has not been denounced; it is definitely planned for autumn. Now it is senseless to go on strike in one, two or three towns. Lukashenka’s edict 760 is so tough that minor actions will mean nothing more but a pinch for authorities and harm to ourselves”.