Authorities in Minsk promise to employ jobless entrepreneurs
The resolution approved by the protesting entrepreneurs comprises four demands:
- to stop harassing entrepreneurs for their views;
- to evaluate the president’s decree No 760 whether it is in line with the Belarusian Constitution;
- to punish those responsible for drafting this decree without economic justification;
- to meet 12 conditions proposed by the European Union
Under the president’s decree No 760 which comes into force on January 1, 2008, sole entrepreneurs are banned from hiring other people than family members or close relatives.
The protest on December 10 is just the first in a series of more actions. Entrepreneurs from different corners of Belarus came to Minsk yesterday. Those who could not make it to Minsk staged their rallies in home towns: Homel, Svetlahorsk, Baranavichy, Babruysk, Vitsebsk.
Anatol Zmitrovich, a shoe vendor and the chairman of the Belarus’s Constitutional Council of Entrepreneurs, came from Svetlahorsk. He pins his only hope on the abolition of the decree. His relatives cannot help, while he has too little time left to re-register before end of this year.
“I cannot employ my relatives. I can still try to work a little bit on my own, but eventually I will have to close down my business. Shopping trip will take two-three days. One or two days will be required to get certificates for the commodity. In other words, I will have no time to trade. I will simply be closed down for license violations. My wife has her own business, so she can’t work for me. My daughter studies at college. My son goes to school, and my parents are pensioners, living far away. They will not be able to come. So what should I do?”
Entrepreneurs are furious that nobody asked them whether this decree was justified. Under the General Agreement between the government of Belarus and employers’ unions, the government was to seek consent from entrepreneurs prior to the issue of the decree. Paragraph 40.3 says that if the document causes social losses, it must first be approved by all the parties concerned.
However, this was not done. Therefore, entrepreneurs are forced to seek extraordinary ways in order to stay in business. Vendor Nasta has to enter into a fake marriage with her employer.
“I am contracting a fake marriage with my employer. This makes my actual partner feel embarrassed and unhappy. It means I am forced to marry someone I don’t love and to live with my beloved partner at the same time”.
Aliaksandr Kalinouski, the chief of entrepreneurship department at Minsk City Hall, talked to the demonstrators and admitted that there were problems indeed and that many entrepreneurs would remain without job after the New Year. However, he says he knows how to resolve this problem.
“There are over 20,000 job vacancies in Minsk. Don’t say that those vacancies are only for janitors and cleaners. The city doesn’t need 20,000 janitors. We will assist in this regard. We will have municipal services help former entrepreneurs with employment”.
Entrepreneurs agreed with the authorities to continue talks on December 19. At the next meeting, the sides are expected to discuss controversies and come to a conclusion that would satisfy the both sides. The government also promised not to arrest the protesters. However, towards the end of the action, four people, including Viktar Kryval, Viktar Harbachou, Krystsina Shatsikava and Viktar Kaley, were detained by police.
