1999

FROM THE EDITORS

To "rebel" or not to "rebel", such problem was decided at the conference on 12.08.99 in Minsk

The opinions were divided. The businessmen decided not to rebel up to .. the beginning of the reprisals. 12.08.99 at the conference a number of the applications and the open letter to those who are at the authority. The letter is sent, the collection of signatures under this letter begins. We ask all to sign it. The signatures are collected everywhere in the Republic of Belarus.

The opinion of the editors concerning forthcoming events on 1.08.99 is the following: September is the best time for holidays.

Therefore to risk or to not risk everyone decides himself. The trade unions will try to begin talks with the government, but if the confiscated actions begin, we shall begin the active actions of the protest. The businessmen still hope that in the government they will begin to think a little bit by head.

The open letter

To the President of the Republic of Belarus

A.G. Lukashenko

To the Council of Ministers of RB

To the National assembly of RB

To the chiefs of the regional and urban executive committees

Mister president, sirs members of government, sirs chairmen of local and republican government bodies, sirs members of parliament, September 1 1999 the term established by the decree of the president of the Republic of Belarus from June 28 1999 # 25 "ABOUT CHANGES IN THE DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS FROM August 4 1997 # 14" according to item 2 of which it is determined: "To suspend up to 1. 09. 1999 operating of sub-item 1.22 of item 1 of the decree of the president of the Republic of Belarus from August 4 1997 # 14 concerning the personal businessmen at retail realisation of articles of non-food products (except for the goods for children) by them at the markets, fairs, exhibitions - sales and other objects of retail trade network" finishes. According to sub-item 1.22 of the decree # 14: "Bought or realised goods and material values breaking the established order (without presence of the accompanying documents or documents confirming quality of the production and also at presence of the documents which are false) are the subject to be withdrawn into the income of the republican budget".

Thus, if the operating of the decree # 14 from 4. 08. 1997 is renewed the businessmen will expect mass expropriating of the goods as that document list which they will demand from the businessmen they can not show. Under outwardly nice words of the decree that the businessman should have both accompanying documents and certificates on the goods the fact that an official prepared this decree does not know the situation, does not know the specificity of activity of the personal businessman hides.

The businessman, if he wants to earn something should constantly look for new goods, sometimes change assortment of the goods several times during the month, "survives" due to the effectiveness. Quantity of the goods delivered by him makes up sometimes some pieces (to define the demand) and the rest of the goods of former assortment makes up only some items. The calculations which are carried out practically by all businessmen demonstrate that if they certificate all goods they have he will simply go bust, and if for the state trade the sale of the not certificated goods is allowed at economical unexpediency of its certification, the businessmen have no such capability. Besides "accompanying documents" and the difficult registration of the sold and bought goods even more complicates life of the businessmen.

There is an impression that this registration is invented only with one purpose that an official who controls could fine for something, one the one hand because of the short-sighted official they fill up the state budget but on the other hand thus there are theoretical conditions for bribes, the majority of "fines" is left in the pockets of an official and does not get into the budget there are too many "intermediates".

It is not a secret that against such "intermediates" a criminal cases are instituted.

All this taken together causes the increasing anxiety and complaint of the majority of the businessmen. They can not they quietly look at the fact that they re going  be undressd. The incompetent officials prepared statutory acts adjust all businessmen against he government and the president and they will not refill any budget they only thrust people on the antigovernment actions and this will happen if the confiscation of the goods will begin.

On the basis of the above-mentioned we offer:

1 To prolong the operating of the decree of the president # 25 from June 28 1999 on the indefinite term before reasonable version of the certification of the goods (the specific proposals are available) will be developed.

2 Taking into the account opinions of the majority of the businessmen to create really simplified system of the taxation with cancellation of the fly-off slips and to protect the rights of customers to start use the copies of the cheques.

3 Not to admit further misunderstanding at preparation of the normative acts to realise consultations with the representatives of the trade unions of the businessmen not to create the conflict situations on the prepared normative acts.

We think that the acceptance of our proposals will not reduce the entry in the budget but will increase them at simultaneous reduction of tension in the society.

It is accepted on the expanded conference of the representatives of the businessman’s structures and organisations

The Republic of Belarus

August 12, 1999                                                          Minsk.

The notice:

According to item 2.2 of protocol #7 of the conference of businessman’s structures and organisations from 12.08.99 in case of beginning of punitive and confiscated reprisals concerning the citizens of the Republic of Belarus foreseen by this Decree we reserve the right to begin all-republican irredeemable strike with the termination of payment of taxes and other payments in the budget.

According to item 3 of protocol #7 of the conference of businessman’s structures and organisations from 12. 08.99 4 representatives of this conference are delegated for the constructive dialogue on this problem.

The chairman of conference

Valery Levonevsky

What will be done for the businessmen after September 1

As a lot of people known, the result of the realisation of the May actions of the protest was that the businessmen managed to delay entering of the decree of the president of the Republic of Belarus # 14 from 4. 08. 1997 in other words the confiscation of the goods was paused when the certificate on the goods or the accompanying documents are absent.

When in July the trade union of the businessmen organised meetings of the businessmen on certification, the majority of the businessmen thought: «The Fried cock does not peck and that is OK» and the majority were not present at the meeting. The time, however, runs fast and it September will be soon!

1. 09 2000 the problem with the confiscation rises even more actually than in May, to the certification one more essential requirement is added, the businessman should have documents proofing the purchase of the goods. To make it clear what it means, it is possible to give some examples of a possible optional version of confiscation of the goods, to make it clear we for stubborn streak-breakers we shall address directly to one of them who during the actions of the protest all the time attempted to break them said that they were nothing for him, that he was not afraid of anybody and anything and that he would trade in spite of on anything.

For example, you Kolya carry the goods on the market and you are stopped by an employee of MIA and demands: «Show, Kolya, way-bills on the goods or certificates!», and you, my dear, do not have them, so all goods are the subject to be confiscated, your boxes, Kolya, will be delivered in the nearest shop where the confiscated goods are sold, and while you will run to save them, your goods will be sold and money will go to the budget. Do you understand, Kolya? There is no money in the budget and there no any source from which it is possible to take it, so you, Kolya, may be indignant, but is useless, anybody will not return the goods to you.

Alternative version. There is a businessman in the market who has received a prestigious trade place for "being a streak-breaker". So, Vitya, the same employees of MIA come up to your tent and: «Show way-bills, Vitya!» And you Vitya is "cunning", you have bought in Moscow in Luzhniky a box of the forms of the way-bills for 8 roubles, have filled them in and now show, but not everything is so easy as you think! They have got a plan on the confiscation and they can not come to the head and report that they have not confiscate nothing, they will tell you, Vitya «What do you show? Are they real? It is possible to get into prison if you imitate the documents» And even if you have true way-bills on the question «Where did you take currency?» You, Vitya, can say anything clever and in any way you, Vitya, remain without the goods! Understand?

According to our information, in the government the cost of the goods which businessmen have is approximately counted and the plan of his confiscation has already been made because money should go into the budget uniformly! The businessmen for them are something like apiary, "bees" have gathered honey and it is necessary to pump it out, but only clever "bee-gardener" will leave something for bees and our "bee-gardeners" pump everything out. You, Kolya, thinks that your goods are your goods, but actually there at the top they have already been noticed and it is a matter of time when they will be selected from you. Honey, understand in what the situation has changed, if before you could be punished only by the fine, now you are simply "blocked" by confiscation of all goods! You, Kolya, saw when the cattle on a meat-processing factory is brought to be killed, they are too blocked not at once and by turns, but they are cattle and who are you? It is necessary to respect yourself!

12. 08. 2000 on the all –belarussian conference of the representatives of the businessman’s structures one of the leaders of enterprise motion, Katya said: «For today in Belarus there is only one problem: should business be or not? There is a problem: What should we do?» This delicate but brave woman goes on government and parliamentary cabinets and attempts to defend our, including your, Kolya, interests and that you more or less quietly had traded for 3 months or more, for it such people as Katya have paid off, she was pursued, she was also in the reanimation after the obtained blows. For it Valery Levonevsky spent 13 days in one place with the men without certain place of residence, for it Arnold Pechersky died. When the chairman of the trade union was put into prison, you, Kolya, giggled while Levonevsky was in prison, you earned bucks, he sat instead of you, and you earned! Well who are you after that? The ram! And who are all of us?

Sergei Rukomoinikov

From August 7 till August 15 in Grodno the second stage of the charitable Action «OUR CITY» was realised.

Measures were realised under the initiative of the Grodno trade union of the citizens, of the businessmen and people working on hiring, United Civil Party of the Grodno region, Grodno municipal centre of protection of the rights of the customer, company "LION" and Grodno municipal organisation - Belorussian Organisation of the Working Women (BOWW).

The Free trade unions of Grodno Fine-cloth factory and joint company “Alforma” were the active participants of this Action.

Unfortunately the authorities of the city not only do not want to realise such measures but refuse to help the initiators. They refused, even, to sell the tickets with discount on the merries-go-round and ice-cream without the trade extra charges for children. They did not permit us to organise a concert for all who want in the municipal park.

Than they think, it is not clear.

Not paying attention to this, measure of 15.08.99 passed better than we expected. There are, certainly, small shortcomings, but it is necessary to remember that such large measures in Grodno are carried out for the first time and without extraneous support.

13.00 things, balls, pens were given to children and needy (the market "Southern", an asphalted site between bus parking and grocery mini market), at 17.00 balls, sweets, ice-cream, charge-free tickets on merries-go-round (at the expense of means of the trade union) were given to children (park of Zhiliber, near the Puppet Theatre (Lenin square of Grodno). From August 7 till August 15 very many families were rendered essential help from our businessmen.

I would like to thank all businessmen (90 % of things and means is allocated by the businessmen of the market in village “Southern”). Due to them more than 4 thousand children could once again be glad: someone got balls, sweets, ice-cream, pen, someone went on meries-go-round, someone got a new thing. Only for one children's smile it was necessary to organise such a measure.

The organisers of this Action did not expect such large inflow of those who want to hand the things over. It appears that there are many good and kind people in our city. Due to your support we have already rendered and we shall assist many people, first of all, families where a lot children are brought up and children's houses.

18.08.99 The distribution of things to the workers of «The Fine-cloth factory» (old building at 14.00) will be held, the same measure will be conducted for the working women of the firm "Alforma" (people call it "Shrimp"), and also on other firms where the branches of the Belorussian Organisation of the Working Free and Independent trade unions are situated. The charitable Action will be prolonged up to the end of year therefore many people can receive the help from us.

Separate thanks to the employees of the militia who were on the service on this measure for kind and sensitive attitude to children.

At the end of September of this year (if we have means) we shall conduct one more large-scale charitable Action. We hope that the authority of the city will turn to the citizens and will not stand in the part next time.

We start to issue the Bulletin «Our city» in which the information about the events in Grodno including that about charitable measures (is distributed free of charge)will be published. With first issue of the Bulletin very many citizens of Grodno have already acquainted.

We shall be in further, according to our possibilities, help families where a lot of children are brought up and needy families. The state has thrown them on an outrage of destiny, beggarly children's allowances, callousness and indifference of the officials of all levels it is all that the present governors give to the citizens.

The help today, instead of in light tomorrow is necessary to them who need sharply. Those who want to give things to particular families can address to them (addresses we shall give to you).

Citizens, join actively to the Action «OUR CITY», carry out own charitable measures, help the neighbours and familiar, do not close in your world. Each of us has problems, a lot of problems, but near to us there are people, a lot of the people, who have simply nothing to eat and to dress. Today you will help them, tomorrow they, their children will help you, if you will require it.

Valery Levonevsky

Tel/fax (0152) 72-00-72, pager (0152) 73-00-00 subscriber # 95200, E-mail: levonevski@imail.ru (mailto:levonevski@imail.ru), Grodno Stefan Batory 8-201, for the letters 230005, Grodno - 5, subscriber box 63