After the protests were over, the issue of entrepreneurs moved into the shade, but their struggle for survival continues. The business support “Solidarity” committee held a founding congress, which aims to create a new alternative structure to unite Belarusian SPs. The next step is creation of an independent trade union.
Active protests of Belarusian entrepreneurs which took place this winter left their mark. Majority of opposition political structures came up with their initiatives designed to help local small businesses in the fight against harsh new laws. Among them is the solidarity movement “Razam” (Together).
Organization does not exist, but repressions are already here
The organization has recently held a founding congress of the Solidarity entrepreneurship support committee. Mikalai Autukhovich was elected Chairman of the Committee, another 15 persons were selected members of the Board of the organization. The next step is to send lists of participants to the Ministry of Justice for registration.
“Now we’ll have a social organization of entrepreneurs called Solidarity,” and then we hope to grow up to the union,” said Ales Makayeu from the solidarity movement “Together”.
The union has not yet started its work, but the authorities are already bothering the participants. In the morning, police detained a bus with entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk and Zelva. Eight persons were taken to the police station, where activists were held for more than three hours. Entrepreneurs have already declared that the detention was intended to intimidate and divide the movement of traders.
The committee promised to file documents for registration even before the parliamentary elections.
Ihar Kuley, Belsat, photo – belprauda.org
