Grassroots protests of entrepreneurs in Minsk and Brest

Workers of Zhdanovichy car market, one of the biggest market in Belarus, went on strike.

All ways to the trading place were blocked by angry people protesting against ungrounded increase in pay for entry to the car market. As RFE/RL informs, the cost of service has been changed several times lately reaching 100,000 rubles per day.

Car owners say the high costs (equal to $35) don’t influence even minimal comfortable conditions at the market. In particular, the trading place is not well-appointed, the site is not paved and looks like a swamp in spring and autumn, there’s also a lack of toilets.

The planned increase in duty on cars, carried by individuals, to be imposed on 1 July caused the increase of the supply and demands in cars. Minsk markets Malinauka and Zhdanovichy remain the main places of trade.

As the website charter97.org learnt, a grassroots meeting was also held on Stary Horad market in Brest. The work was fully paralyzed. People protest against outrage of the tax inspection: they are indignant at unmotivated checks and huge fines (the minimal sum is 700,000 rubles).