BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/01/2008

Belarus Police Beat Business Demonstrators

MINSK (AFP)--Belarussian riot police violently dispersed a demonstration in Minsk Monday of about 2,000 people protesting against new regulations for small businesses, an AFP reporter witnessed.

Police beat protesters who had gathered near the presidential palace, then marched to another square near the government headquarters and later back to the presidential palace.

"We are demanding civilized legislation," cried Viktor Krival, one of the leaders of the loose-knit opposition movement, which is formed mainly of small- scale entrepreneurs.

An AFP reporter saw several demonstrators arrested, while Krival said more than 50 activists had been detained earlier this month, which saw another demonstration in Minsk.

Small-scale entrepreneurs took part in mass demonstrations in 2006 against the reelection of hardline President Alexander Lukashenko. They continue to cooperate with the country's democratic opposition.

Their sense of grievance has increased since new regulations were signed into law by Lukashenko last year that included a tax on hiring personnel.

Belarus' economy has hardly been reformed since Soviet times and remains largely in state hands, dominated by manufacturing of heavy machinery and vehicles, fertilizer production and oil refining.

Source:

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080121%5cACQDJON200801211024DOWJONESDJONLINE000238.htm&