Ždanovičy entrepreneur: 90% of the sales points to close down on March 1
Even those entrepreneurs who were able to get the necessary documents will stop working in fear of checks.
On February 21, major news sites published information that Alyaksandr Lukashenka had canceled his own decree on the technical regulations of the Customs Union. And individual entrepreneurs and legal entities were given an extension for another three months to get the notorious quality certificates. The euphoria was premature. Uladzimir Kalesnikau who for has worked at Minsk Zhdanovichy market said that on March 1 90% of the outlets will close down:
"Almost 90% of businesses here are closing down. Everyone is guessing what will happen next with these certificates. Where will the people get them, and what happens next. I also do not know what I am going to do. I'l probably not go to work, although I have the documents for several shipments. But I do not want to stand here alone, because then they will definitely check me out and find something."
Uladzimir also said that after the necessary documents were obtained, his goods became much more expensive. Wll there be sense in selling them, if it is reluctant to buy up and still relatively cheap party, is also unknown.
So next Sunday Zhdanovichy visitors may see empty rows. Uladzimir says that the psychological state of entrepreneurs now be called the "panic".
"What will happen to the market? I do not know ... I have nothing to say. All entrepreneurs are panicking. The general mood is that no one knows anything."
One of the leaders of entrepreneurs' movement, Anatol Shumchanka, also says that the abolition of Lukashenka's former decree did not make situation clearer. Nobody has seen the text of the document, and to all inquiries the inspection bodies persistently advise to be ready for checks from March 1:
"The State Committee for Standardization told us that it was not for them to decide and they had nothing to do with the document, so they couldn't comment on anything. Therefore, the situation is not clear, and no one in particular of the officials would comment on it - will the certificates be checked or not."
Meanwhile, in the last days of February the markets have a real Christmas sale - clothes and shoes are sold at a discount of 50 or even 70%. Sellers are using the last opportunity to get rid of the products, which may become illegal on Sunday. So if someone needs something to buy - it's time to go to the market.
