80% of private entrepreneurs go on vacations on March 1

About 80% of private entrepreneurs working on Belarusian markets did not come to work on March 1. The association of private entrepreneurs Perspectiva reported the news to BelaPAN.

The period when private entrepreneurs could sell light industry goods without documents proving their purchase outside the Custom Union expired on March 1 according to decree #222 of May 16, 2014.

However, no sanctions will be imposed on entrepreneurs, deputy Minister of Economy Dzmitry Kruty said at a briefing in Minsk on February 28. The Belarusian government has promised to prepare a document legalizing the sale of the remaining light industry goods without certificates soon, he added.

Despite the large-scale information campaign in state mass media, ‘small business does not believe the authorities for the first time,’ head of Perspectiva Anatol Shumchanka said. According to Shumchanka, entrepreneurs are waiting for ‘serious actions’ and expect ‘some legal acts suspending decree #222 or imposing a moratorium on check-ups.” There are no official documents allowing entrepreneurs to sell goods without certificates at the moment, he noted.