Mikalai Statkevich, a former political prisoner, and Anatol Shumchanka, the leader of the entrepreneurs’ organisation ‘Perspectiva’ are asking the city authorities for permission to rally in Minsk.
The action is to start on Monday, March 14, at 13:00. The protesters are set to march along Surganov street from the Academy of Sciences to Bangalore Square, where a rally is to be held.
The Belarusian government is able solve the problem, i.e. make concessions to entrepreneurs, Shumchanka said.
At the same time, asked by newspaper Nasha Niva why he failed to show up at the previous rallies on 15 and 22 February, Shumchanka replied that it seemed to him that the authorities were ready to come to terms and he decided not to be radical.
If the authorities do not sanction the rally on March 14, Mikalai Statkevich will call on Belarusians to take part in the action on Freedom Day, March 25.
In February, two rallies took place in Octoper Square in Minsk. Up to 300 persons participated in the first protest action; about 300 showed up on Monday. Market vendors are committed to hold another protest action on February 28 at 15.00.
Beginning 2016, Belarusian self-employed businessmen selling clothes and shoes have to start working in accordance with the new rules that came into force on January, 1. Lukashenka’s Decree 222 of March 16, 2014 canceled the previous benefits in the required package of accompanying documents for the goods and ordered to get for them not only consignment documents, but also a certificate for compliance with the Eurasian Economic Community.
Representatives of entrepreneurs’ movement argued that the Russian market, where they bring cheap Turkish or Chinese clothing from, such documents are difficult to obtain. As a result, the businessman are fined and their goods are seized.
