Belarusian businessmen staged a nationwide strike.

10 December individual entrepreneurs in Belarus have organized a nationwide strike, said "Charter'97." They protest against the presidential decree, which tightens regulations for import of goods to the republic.
According to one of the leaders of the movement of Viktor business Gorbachev, the shares attended by some 60 per cent of individual entrepreneurs of the country. By joined the strike in Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Slutsk and other cities. They closed a number of markets and shopping centers in several cities held rallies.
As stated by Victor Gorbachev, in the new year, will come into force when the new rules, about 120 thousand traders brought goods from Russia, may be left without work. "We were denied the right to work, we call such conditions, that is simply impossible to work" - he said. According to him, businessmen in this situation can count only on mutual solidarity.
From 1 January 2009, Belarus will apply the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 760, in which individual entrepreneurs will have to pay tax on each item imported from abroad goods, issued to him a complete package of documents. In addition, terminate the rule of preferential import of goods from Russia.
Recall that in late 2007 - early 2008, Belarusian individual entrepreneurs have organized a series of strikes and protests. They were protesting against the presidential decree, which forbids them to hire someone other than their relatives. Opposition activists who took part in a rally in Minsk on 10 January, were later sentenced to fines, various terms of deprivation and restriction of freedom.