English

Vendors at clothing market in Minsk fighting cash register requirement

Vendors at Zhdanovichy, one of Minsk's largest outdoor clothing markets, have been ordered by its administration to start using cash registers. They plan to fight the order and a small business association called Perspektyva has already come to their aid.

On October 9, Perspektyva leader Anatol Shumchanka visited the market to gather signatures to a petition calling on the economy ministry's Enterprise Department to look into the matter and declare the order illegal.

As Mr. Shumchanka told BelaPAN, the rent contracts drawn up by the Zhdanovichy administration and signed by the vendors describe their stalls as "pavilions," which they are not. Regulations require vendors selling goods in pavilions to have a cash register.

"These stalls at the Zhdanovichy market are knockdown structures put together. Each of the stalls is equipped with roller doors. Such features of a stall make it impossible to call it a pavilion," Mr. Shumchanka said.

"The same structures are elsewhere in Minsk, as well as in Hrodna and Brest and the vendors there are not required to have a cash register. We believe that the Zhdanovichy administration's actions are illegal and plan to file suits with courts to have the vendors get compensation for their expenses."

A security guard interfered with the BelaPAN cameraman's work in Zhdanovichy, ordering him to produce his press card and explain the purpose of his presence in the market.
Taisiya Supranskaya, head of Zhdanovichy's business department, defended the administration's stance and said that the stalls in questions were "pavilions."