Belarusan Entrepreneurs Launched Campaign “For Free Development Of Entrepreneurship” And Adopted First-Step Program

On July 10 the entrepreneurs held a meeting and launched the campaign “for free development of entrepreneurship” and adopted the program of first-step actions. The businessmen who stand for active participation of small vendors in political actions noted that small businessmen compose a considerable part of Belarusan society.
Entrepreneur from Minsk Viktar Kalej commented that “We are more numerous than workers and intelligentsia. 70 per cent of us are people with higher education. These people are hard-working and resourceful. But president labels us “lousy”.
According to the speakers, the current regime shows negative attitude to participation of entrepreneurs in politics. This attitude contradicts to interests of small business. A lot of businessmen take independent part in political actions and the meeting participants expressed their wish to coordinate these actions. They decided to prepare national campaign “for free development of entrepreneurship” and supported the idea of active participation in local elections 2007. Many of them have already decided to run at the elections.
UCP activist Viktar Garbachou explained “There is not a single businessmen in local councils. The authorities use us, take a lot of money from us as taxes, fines etc. But at the same time they are afraid to let us to local councils”.