"Our company is profitable, salaries for four million workers, but 250 people can stay on the street" – says working Pastavy enterprise "Belit", which is part of the Free Economic Zone "Viciebsk".
"We have 70% of employees – women, many of them more than two children. The put the work a little, if we close, do not know where to go", – adds the work.
The company engaged in the production of cloth. Raw materials are imported from Germany without paying duties, processed to rags and sold in Belarus and Russia.
But after the New Year such a business may be closed, as the changing rules of free economic zones: introducing duty on the import of goods from abroad. These are the rules of stay in the Eurasian Economic Union.
"Our company has come under the duty to 164%, and now it is 0%. To say that we will be able to work in such conditions – it's fantastic. We must look for some solution" – describe the problem in the administration "Belit".
Now the company orders for two months forward, empty warehouses, no debt.
Viciebsk organization "VIK" makes drugs for animals, wins prizes at international competitions, and Belarus. Here, too, may be affected by changes in the free economic zones.
"The investment that could go to us, go to another place. The government is thinking about how we compensate for the loss, but does compensate," – says the company. And worried that investors and customers go to competitors in Russia.
Russia is also party to the Eurasian Economic Union, and there is also a special economic zone, and some residents of these areas to pay customs duty. But the state subsidizes the residents of these areas! That is money for a fee reimbursed or financial aid or other benefits.
In Belarus is preparing a new law, which touches the free economic zones. But direct compensation of losses from customs duties will not be. The authorities promise only prescribe some mechanisms. What it will be for the mechanisms, and when they will get some benefit resident enterprises of the free economic zones, two months before the abolition of privileges unknown.
"Prior to January 1, the law will be exactly the free zones will exist until 2050," – draws the future into the administration of the Free economic zone "Brest".
In Belarus there are six free economic zones, 419 organizations and 124 thousand people work there. In addition to the benefits for the customs duties, which will soon be canceled, residents of these zones are exempt from land tax, have discounts on income taxes.
Artsiom Martynovich, euroradio.fm
