Entrepreneurs to Strike on December 19th
Anatol Shumchanka, leader of Perspektyva movement, urged all entrepreneurs to take part in the strike on December 19th.
The entrepreneurs will demand to cancel Edict # 760, according to which they will not be able to hire non-family members since January 1st. Another goal of the strike is to demonstrate solidarity with the arrested participants of the rally on December 10th.
Anatol Shumchanka explained to RFE/RL, the one-day strike is a compromise between different entrepreneurs’’ structures. He stressed, all individual entrepreneurs are against Edict #760, but some are ready to take part only in the actions sanctioned by the authorities, some – to protest on Kastrychnitskaya Square, and some – to take part in a one-day strike action.
Anatol Shumchanka is convinced, the strike will be supported by entrepreneurs in the regional cities.
“The strike will take place. The number of participants? We think it will be usual. If we count Minsk and regional centers, I think we’ll have about 60-70 thousand at least. Come and see on December 19th. We have no doubt that it will take place.”
“We have very little time left before January 1st. The government completely ignores all demands of the entrepreneurs. It completely ignores all resolutions of our forums and rallies. The only thing which is left is a strike”, -- Viktar Chaikouski, coordinator of Perspektyva in Vitebsk region says.
Anatol Shumchanka stressed, there will be no negotiations with the authorities, while arrested participants of the rally on December 10th are in jail.
