BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

20/11/2007

Belarusian Vendors Rally Against Planned Restrictions

Over 2,000 market vendors on November 19 attended a rally in Minsk against President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's decree imposing more restrictive conditions for running businesses, Belapan reported. Under the decree, starting from January 1, 2008, certain small-business owners will be barred from hiring employees other than three family members. The demonstrators adopted a resolution demanding a meeting with Lukashenka. They also requested that Lukashenka ask the Belarusian Constitutional Court to examine the legality of the restrictions. Market vendors have already made unsuccessful attempts to push for a court hearing by appealing to Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski, both chambers of the Belarusian legislature, and the Supreme Court. "The grievances of entrepreneurs are turning into the grievances of people encountering red tape and irresponsible bureaucrats," Anatol Shumchanka, the chairman of the Perspektyva vendors' association, told the rally. AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/11/3-cee/cee-201107.asp