Having a business in Belarus is not easy. The Head of State considers all the requirements for entrepreneurs to facilitate their activities to be blackmail, and local authorities can simply stifle a private enterprise. A Brest entrepreneur Mikalai Hlushchuk believes that he is facing the latter case.
The owner of the courier company tried to put at the entrance to the town two billboards. Despite prior authorization, he was able to put only one. And then…
Mikalai Hlushchuk, individual entrepreneur:
“I paid for advertising on this billboard in time. Accordingly, it was not under the law that the Brest district executive committee unilaterally dismantled the billboard, which is a violation of private property rights.”
The advertising was dismantled, broken and taken to the base in Charnauchytsy. In fact, there were supposed to be two billboards, but the first one of them, the entrepreneur said, was given to another firm. He calls the situation a usual raider seizure and has turned to the prosecutor’s office.
Raman Hlushchuk, a lawyer, son of Mikalai Hlushchuk:
“Employees of Berastseautador were summoned to give explanations. Then one of them said to his father informally, that he would be held responsible for this.”
The case about the transfer of one of the billboards continues – the entrepreneur even turned to the presidential administration, but in the Brest regional executive committee we were told a different version of the events. The officials said the billboard was not installed correctly from the outset, and, in accordance with the contract, if the owner does not rectify the situation, it may be removed. Officials deny that they failed to report it to the entrepreneur.
Vital Belinsky, Deputy Chairman of the Brest Regional Executive Committee:
“He received an instruction to change it, when there was a breeze …I believe it was on May 13. The billboard fell down, and he was given an instruction to set it according to the specifications and in accordance with the passport. He also was issued a technial passport for this place. He did nothing of the kind and again put in the same place.”
The Executive Committee officials say that if during a strong wind, a billboard fell down again, I could get on the sidewalk. The dispute between the official and the entrepreneur has been going on year. However, both Hlushchuks would not give up. Although they do not really believe they will win, they are going to defend their property for the sake of principle.
