Anatol Shumchanka: The authorities are making enemies with their own citizens

On Monday, February 17, entrepreneurs had voiced their complaints to Lukashenka, and the day after Lukashenka attacked the entrepreneurs. What it all came up to?

On February 18, during the meeting, where the draft decree “On certain issues of realization of goods by individual entrepreneurs and other private persons”, Aliaksandr Lukashenka spoke rudely with the leaders of entrepreneurs.

“Some politicians representing the entrepreneurship community, although I can hardly say they are politicians representing the best interests of self-employed businessmen, are trying to blackmail the authorities, including the president of the country. They’d better not make such statements in mass media because it may bite them. Trying to scare me is useless. We are not going to allow a Maidan in Belarus”, - stated Lukashenka.

EuroBelarus Information Serviceasked Anatol Shumchanka, the Chairman of the Republican Public Association “Perspective”, how he “blackmails” Lukashenka.

- I don’t want to interchange arguments with the authorities; they are ruling the country now, it is for them to decide how Belarusans will be living and they are responsible for the consequences. We have just warned the authorities: people won’t be able to work under the new conditions.

- “Get rid of people like Shumchanka, so that they don’t even pass nearby. You don’t have anything in common with them; their needs are different”, said the Belarusan President. Where does such dislike come from? And what was the reaction of the entrepreneurial community at Lukashenka’s attacks?

- The authorities will somehow react to “Perspective”. It is hard to predict this reaction and how law enforcement agencies will react to Lukashenka’s words. Entrepreneurs, likewise all citizens with an alternative viewpoint, are ready to any scenario.

The fact that the demands of the entrepreneurs are voiced by high officials is the result of “Perspective’s” work and means actually the organization has won the recognition.

I don’t know what reaction from the officials will follow. It is most likely that we won’t be invited to next meetings. But Belarus doesn’t have any other organization that will provide an impartial description of entrepreneurs’ lives. We are not to blame if this description is not that flattering. Whether the authorities want it or not, they’ll have to deal with us.

As to the response of the entrepreneurs, I can only speak on the part of my associates. We won’t respond to these attacks; let them lie on Lukashenka’s conscience.

We know how the interests of Belarusan entrepreneurs can be defended in the Customs Union, and we want to see the development of the small business in Belarus. But we also want concrete serious talk with the entrepreneurs about today’s problems and the ways to solve them; we need results.

Arrests, detainments and exiles are a part of our everyday routine. Still, we are ready to defend the interests of entrepreneurs.

- The decree “On certain issues of realization of goods by individual entrepreneurs and other private persons” is not signed yet: Lukashenka doesn’t want to introduce half-hearted measures. Are entrepreneurs happy with preserving status-quo?

- We are satisfied with today’s working conditions; we are paying huge taxes to the state. If the authorities want transparency, they can close borders with Russia.

What we are to do? Should we register at job centre?

The trouble is that Belarusan authorities can’t live without looking for enemies. However, they don’t have to look far for them; they are making enemies with their own citizens.