Entrepreneurs proposed to buy out of certificates by double tax increase

Mahileu officials met with entrepreneurs.

The meeting was held in the City Executive Committee. There it was reported that that week Aliaksandr Lukashenka was going to sign the Decree No. 222 "On the regulation of entrepreneurship and realization of goods by entrepreneurs and other individuals", which allegedly was amended. The amendments relate to certification of foreign light industrial goods. Small business owners argue that there is no place to take certification documents from, Radio Svaboda reports.

The Decree allegedly proposes to replace certification with the monetary burden. It will be increased double. Businessmen will have to pay from Br5 million and higher to trade without quality certificates.

"It is expected that owners will pay double single tax and four-fold value added tax. At the meeting entrepreneurs agreed to accept these terms", one of the participants of the meeting said.

An interlocutress says about twenty entrepreneurs took part in the meeting. Unlike previous two ones, this meeting was more friendly.

Meanwhile, traders from markets keep their joy by changes proposed. First, the Decree should be released, they say. It is not a surprise that certification can be replaced with monetary pay. They say it has been expected. Traders note: "Another question is where we should take money for the taxes".

"If sales were high, there would be no problem. Now purchasing power has decreased. Many entrepreneurs, anyway, planned to close business even without those demands. Outlets will be reduced", one of the entrepreneurs says.

"There will be no need to pay both these taxes and others constantly increasing. Where should we take money from? It is exactions. It is a disabling burden. I'm afraid there will be more unemployed. Many are going to abandon sellers. Those who came up with this certification did not care about people", employees of markets believe.

Until March 1 entrepreneurs were allowed to sell surplus of goods without certificates. The day before a significant part of traders did not come to work, expressed a protest against introduction of Decree No. 222. They stated those requirements could not be fulfilled. Its introduction was postponed.