‘Don’t be afraid!’ Lukashenka seeks to mend relations with businessmen


Belarus president Alyaksandr Lukashenka is seeking to get relations with Belarusian business circles back on track.

He urged entrepreneurs to establish an ‘honest and open dialogue ‘ at Tuesday’s session with the members of the working group on the improvement of audit activities and eradication of excessive requirements to business.

According to the president, there will be no pressure from audit and other agencies anymore. “I can promise it as the head of state,” he said and added that there should be ‘a minimum set of regulations which is really needed to launch a business activity’.

He also ordered not to impose excessive requirements on entrepreneurs.

“I would like to address the representatives of business circles, especially those present at the meeting today. In the process of work you have to deal with a variety of absurd requirements and endless checks. <…> Inform about the existing problems, put forward constructive proposals, and, most importantly, do not be afraid of anything,” state-run news agency BelTA quotes Lukashenka as saying.

It is noteworthy that Lukashenka’s meeting with businessmen was held soon after the practice of inspections of small and medium-sized businesses by the Emergency Ministry had stopped. Most of such inspections hit small business owners. According to the Ministry of Taxes and Fees, for the second year in a row the number of entrepreneurs is decreasing in Belarus.

Moreover, the arrest of the reputed businessman and blogger Alyaksandr Knyrovich is still on everyone’s lips. On January 25, founder of group of companies “Sarmat-STI” was detained on suspicion of giving bribes to officials and put to the KGB jail. Also the State Security Committee (KGB) had questions about his contracts with Russian suppliers. Later, however, investigators stated that Knyrovich evaded taxes on a large scale.

The arrest of the businessman might be politically motivated, several independent experts and analysts say. In his program on the “BelBusinessChannel” Mr Knyrovich sharply spoke about Belarus’s economic situation, which might not have been liked by Lukashenka and his associates.

In late January, the Belarusian leader made a harsh comment on the situation of Knyrovich: “There will be no compassion for crooks! A thief should be in prison!” and promised that everyone involved in the shady case would be jailed.

belsat.eu

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