Double Blow For Belarusian Sole Traders

Is going to be more complicated to run a business for Belarusian sole traders.

In addition to Lukashenka’s decree №222, a draft law has been prepared in Russia, which makes the work of Belarusian sole traders absolutely impossible.

Deputy Chairman of Salidarnasts Ales Makayeu reported that to Radio Racyja.

“It has been a long time since Putin presented in the State Duma a draft law, which forbids Belarusian sole traders to purchase goods of light industry for cash. Only non-cash payments are allowed. It is clear that small consignments that are a problem to purchase for sole traders now, will become almost impossible. And this happens in the situation when Putin plans to abolish taxes for sole traders in Russia,” – Makayeu said.

Thus, Russia is helping the Belarusian authorities to eliminate the small business, a businessman from Zelva, representative of the movement Solidarnasts Viktar Lameka says.

“It is still a problem for sole traders to import goods in small lots to Belarus, due to the lack of necessary documents. And considering that Russia is introducing non-cash payments for small lot purchasing, the conditions are going to be absolutely intolerable. Perhaps there are some invisible tendencies in the Russian Federation, that give a clue to understanding the destructive situation with small business in Belarus,” – Lameka said.

We remind that from January 1, 2016 the Belarusian SP massively ceased trading. Since that moment, according to Lukashenka’s decree, sole traders have not been allowed to sell the products of light industry, imported from the countries of the Customs Union without certificates.

Since the beginning of January 2016, spontaneous rallies of sole traders have been held at empty markets and shopping centers of Belarus.

The next rally of sole traders will be held on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk on February 28, at 15-00.