Iryna Jaskevich: The authorities shouldn’t put entrepreneurs in a corner

The protests of the individual entrepreneurs in the Belarusan regions can be renewed as soon as the next week.

The strike of the individual entrepreneurs who work at markets started on July 1 and finished at the end of the last week. The peaceful demonstration in the Belarusan regions wasn’t consolidated and brought no results. Minsk didn’t support the demonstration, even though the problems of entrepreneurs are similar for everyone.

Starting from July 1 new technical regulations for the Customs Union are in force. Thus, mandatory certification of goods from the Customs Union and president Decree No.222, which provides for having accompanying forms for the goods, are introduced. Entrepreneurs can sell out the remaining part of the goods from the Customs Union without certificates until March 1, 2015.

Will the protest of the individual entrepreneurs be renewed in the regions? If so, when will it happen? These questions EuroBelarus Information Service asked Iryna Jaskevich, the leader of Vitebsk entrepreneurs, coordinator of the organizing committee of the trade union of entrepreneurs “Vmeste” (“Together”).

- I think that the dates of the new protests will be known after July 22, when the law “On state regulation of trade and public catering in the Republic of Belarus” comes into force, as this document has a lot in it that entrepreneurs don’t like. Thus, the grievance might occur earlier than it was expected.

- Are entrepreneurs going to create a new structure to coordinate their actions in the Belarusan regions?

- We have each other’s phone numbers, we opened a group in “Odnoklassniki” (Russian – “classmates”, a social network popular in Russian-speaking countries), and now we are considering making a webpage. Thus, we have a well-working cooperation.

- What determines whether the new protests will start in the regions or not?

- The answer to our appeal (it was submitted to Piotr Prakapovich, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Entrepreneurship development council of Belarus and other officials – comm. “EuroBelarus”). And we want the real answer, not some prevaricate excuse. Representatives of our organization should be a part of the Entrepreneurship development councils along with the representatives of other entrepreneurial organizations.

- Will the protests be renewed if the controls of individual entrepreneurs on compliance with the President Decree No.222 start now?

- Certainly. As now it is impossible to work in accordance with the new rules. There are no new wholesale warehouses; and if there are some, there are no catalogs, price lists, or the goods are more expensive than in the stores. And if in this situation controls start, people will be dissatisfied.

- What reaction to the protests do you expect from the authorities, which are deliberately creating problems for your work?

- We are sure that these actions are made on purpose. But we didn’t have a strike as such; we tried to attract attention to our problems and stopped working. We do not discard civilized approach; but it should apply for everyone.

- And still, my question is why the authorities should bother to react on your actions, if, apparently, they are deliberately reducing the number of traders?

- It is a rhetorical question. We will voice our need for working places. If the state displaces us from one sphere, it should suggest something in return. And they suggest nothing. The authorities shouldn’t put entrepreneurs in a corner.