Streetnet International
International Alliance of Street Vendors

Belarus

Iryna Yaskevich (Belarus)

Member of International Council

Iryna Yaskevich was born on January 17, 1963 in the city Starye Dorohi, Minsk region, Belarus. She has graduated from Minsk Technological College with the specialization “Designer of female garments “. Since 1996 she becomes an entrepreneur (self-employed). In 1998 Iryna becomes a Chairperson of the Council of Entrepreneurs at a small market “Yuzhny”. In 2008 she was elected as a Chairperson of the Board of Entrepreneurs at one of the largest shopping center in Vitebsk called “Evikom”. Since 2005 the process of registering the Belarusian independent trade union “Together” has been going on. Until now, three constituent congresses of the union had taken place. In order to defend their right to an independent trade union there were three trials held in the Supreme Court and three times the registration of the union has been refused. Iryna has participated and initiated more than 12 strikes not only in the city of Vitebsk, but also in the city of Minsk, one of which lasted about 3 months. In the result of taking part in strikes in 2003, she was included in the working group in the Ministry of Economy. In 2017 she has registered the Entrepreneurship Support Center. Iryna devoted more than 20 years to the protection of entrepreneurs’ rights. She has two children and a granddaughter.

Vmeste (Belarus)

Date of creation: 27 July, 2007

Aims: To protect the legitimate rights of the union members and their families’ members (self-employed workers).

Short history:
Creation of the Belarusian Trade Union “Vmeste” was the result of the strike movement of individual entrepreneurs (hereinafter IE) in Belarus in 2005- 2006. The union was formed at the request of IE themselves in 2007. The entrepreneurs have realized that the traditional trade unions are not only able to defend the interests of workers, but in fact, sometimes they interfere in the struggle for the economic and social rights of workers. This is because the trade unions have become part of the state machine, and their leaders served and still continue to serve as managers of enterprises and the state agencies.

For the first time in Belarus, IE alone, without the intervention of the administration, began to carry out trade union policy for the protection of their economic and civil rights. In recent years the activists of the trade union “Vmeste” initiated three strikes, not only stopping the operating on the markets of their own cities. The union members have been supported by other individual entrepreneurs from other regions. They, in turn, supported all the protest actions aimed at improving the lives of entrepreneurs and citizens of Belarus.

At present, the trade union organization “Vmeste” unites together more than 700 citizens of the Republic of Belarus, 90% of which are individual entrepreneurs. This is primarily self-employed entrepreneurs, operating in the retail trade and such services like: taxi, sewing, repairing, workers of private cafes and restaurants, farmers.

The union “Vmeste” is constantly working and will continue to work with the authorities and management, taking care of the improvement of economic activity and social security of self-employed, as well as negotiates on the rent issues. And it was the first time, when only trade union “Vmeste” succeeded to conclude a five year contract which stipulates “no increase in rent for the IE”

Belarusian entrepreneurs are fighting for their rights, demanding the cancellation of the Decree № 222 (Belarus)

Irina Yaskevich, Chairwoman of the Trade Union of Entrepreneurs "Together", an affiliate of the StreetNet International from Belarus, shared how entrepreneurs from Belarus are struggling for their rights to keep their jobs demanding the cancellation of the Decree № 222 "On regulation of entrepreneurship activity and the sale of goods by individual entrepreneurs and other physical entities".

Since January 1, 2016 according to the Decree number 222, signed by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, entrepreneurs are allowed to trade by goods of light industry, imported from abroad, only in the presence of the documents confirming the quality and origin of the goods.

According to the entrepreneurs, this Decree will paralyze their activities. People who sit “in high offices”, are rather far away from the work of small entrepreneurs. They do not imagine that this Decree can’t be fulfilled.

Most entrepreneurs working on flea markets and shopping centers of Vitebsk city, suspended their activities starting from January 1, 2016.

Despite some delays and eighteen-month transition period, many of them still claim that they cannot provide legal documents on the origin of the goods of light industry and the certificates of conformity with technical regulations of the Customs Union (EAC).

On the trading outlets almost everywhere the signs are – "Due to the inability to carry out activities under the Decree №222 from January 1, 2016, is to inform about the suspension of the activity for an uncertain period." In this case there is practically no information to buyers, when this "uncertainty finishes."

"We have approved a collective appeal to the President of the country and on 13 January a small delegation went to the Ministry of Finance, where we met with the Minister", – explained Irina Yaskevich. – “Our requests were:

  • to revoke the Decree №222;
  • to provide with the opportunity to work at the same rate without raising factors subject to the availability of documents and the import duty of 20%;
  • to reduce the raising rates for tax payments;
  • to reduce the huge penalties.

The income of legal entities and small entrepreneurs cannot be compared.

Irina still hopes that the state authority will find a compromise with small entrepreneurs.

It should be added that on January 11, 2016 a so-called anti-crisis forum took place in Minsk city, attended by about 1, 5 thousand of Individual Entrepreneurs (IE) from all over the country. Its participants have agreed not to go to work as long as the authorities do not submit its decision to a small business issues and appointed a next meeting for January 25.

“Only together we can oppose the impossible demands”, – emphasized the chairwoman of the trade union of entrepreneurs "Together" Irina Yaskevich:

"If there are no required documents, then why should we go to work and take risks? By the way, we are supported by even the part of those entrepreneurs, who found some required documents – they have also signed our letter, announcing to stop working. I understand that in every market there are 10-15 per cent of the entrepreneurs who still come to work. But we have to understand one thing: from very recent time we learned how to defend what we need only when we are together! ", – added Irina.

More than 500 individual entrepreneurs from Vitebsk region gathered in the morning on January 28 near the regional executive committee. IE from Vitebsk, Orsha and Polotsk and other cities demanded from officials to discuss the problems of small businesses.

In late January, a meeting was held in Vitebsk city of regional entrepreneurs with representatives of local authorities.

The deputy chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Mr. Oleg Matskevich joined the meeting of entrepreneurs together with senior officials of the regional tax office, the center of standardization and metrology. The meeting lasted about three hours. All the challenges of its members were discussed. At the same time, deputy chairman of the Regional executive committee emphasized that the representatives of local authorities hear entrepreneurs and try to help them.

It should be noted that trade union leader Irina Yaskevich is included in the Working Group established under the Ministry of Economy on entrepreneurship issues, but in case there will be nothing agreed on addressing the requirements of the individual entrepreneurs, Irina intends to leave the Working Group and continue to fight in other ways.

To see video interview of Irina Yaskevich and to get more information on the situation with entrepreneurs in Belarus, please click here: http://ok.ru/video/65066754269274-1?fromTime=14