BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

22/01/2008

Small traders meet force of Belarus law

Members of Belarussian small businesses clash with police

Minsk Riot police barred the way to the presidential palace in Belarus, where 20 people were arrested after several thousand people marched in protest against new restrictive employment laws. Vladimir Naumov, the Interior Minister, personally grabbed some of the demonstrators.

Entrepreneurs are angry about a new law that stops small-business owners employing people who are not relatives. The law forces them to re-register as private companies -which doubles their tax burden - if they want to hire staff outside the family. It is the second big protest in the capital this month. (AP)

Source:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3228042.ece