Entrepreneurs want street protest, referendum and meeting with president
To the "Entrepreneurs Forum" in Minsk came so many guests, that the hall of the hotel "Beijing" could not accommodate all -- people were standing not only in the passages, but in the hall in front of the room. From Homiel only came 100 people. "And some people came separately, in their cars," said the representative of the Homiel SPs Zhanna Hubkina.
Also in the hall were honorable guests - representatives of the German and US embassies. State institutions were represented by the State Standard and Enterprise Department of the Ministry of Economy.
Chairman of the association "Perspective" Anatoly Shumchanka opened up with the announcement - the entrepreneurs decided to move their forum from the cozy rooms of the hotel to the street. More precisely - to the Bangalore square.
Shumchanka: "Due to the fact that today our situation has gone too far, and none of the central government want to negotiate, the Perspective's Council decided to apply for a rally on February 15, 2016. The application was sent on January 29 - it was thrown in a postbox, because we were not allowed to register it. Hopefully, it will be registered in due time. We want to use all legal means to solve our problems, to work within the law - so as not to be accused of something. My position is well known to you: it is no matter where, the most important thing is how many people will come."
Then the leader of businessmen welcomed the representatives of the German and US embassies, giving them candy and books on the history of Polatsk.
Leaving without gifts representatives of local government agencies, Shumchanka gave the floor to the oldest participants of the Forum -- the 88-year-old individual entrepreneur from Minsk Yuzefa Ihnatauna.
"I have been working as entrepreneur for 30 years (since 1986), recently, our lives changed: taxes went up, certificates were introduced -- we cannot continue to work. Please, comrade Lukashenka, reduce the rent fee, so that we can work to feed the children, educate them and make this country even better - thanks to Lukashenka for peace and tranquility. Let it continue," the woman started from the list of concerns of businessmen and suddenly ended on a particular note.
"Maybe you, as an oldest person, can ask for the meeting with Lukashenka?" said Shumchanka.
"I do not mind seeing him," agreed the old lady.
Next Shumchanka offered the SPs to develop the law "On small business" by taking advantage of the right of legislative initiative by gathering 50,000 signatures and submiting a bill to the Parliament.
Shumchanka: "If the parliament does not solve the problem of the citizens, we will be forced to turn to the other article of the Constitution which provides for a national referendum."
To do this, businesses will need to collect 450 thousand signatures. For the 600 thousand entrepreneurs this is possible.
