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Introduction
In the early 1990s business and entrepreneurship has become a new social and economic reality of our country. In the XXI century small and medium-sized business is ready to become a powerful factor of development of the country. It is becoming a system of realization of human and social capital. Nowadays business of Belarus pretends to a new mission that combines the potential of the population of the country and possibilities of the Belarusian state. Business community is becoming more distinctly a factor of the economy growth, strengthening of family, health and power of the nation. It is not an abstract statement. It a statement of fact. It is the result of integration of Belarus to the civilization - the world of globalization, unexampled openness, new technologies, ways of life and activity.
Every Belarusian wants to be a healthy, self-confident and self-made person. To provide him/herself and his/her family without any assistance. To invest in his/her own business and community. To be proud of his/her achievements, his/her family and his/her business. A large plant, a road café, a small bakery, a repair workshop or a tent in the local market place - every business is useful. While it presupposes a hard work, skills to manage the business process and to serve for a customer.
The private business of Belarus is potentially a serious social and economic power. It employs about 1 mln. people i.e. 25% of all the employees. 440.000 people get their salary in small business, 300.000 people - in medium-sized. About 180.000 0f individual entrepreneurs have an important meaning for the labor market of the country and maintaining the finance stability of the local authorities. If there is no private business in the country, the unemployment rate would be about 25%, the authorities would have to increase the social payments rapidly and the brain-drain would be irreversible.
Small business form 55 - 65% of GDP in Sweden, Germany and the USA, in Belarus - only 10%. In our country the number of small and medium-sized enterprises per 1000 persons is very low. In Ukraine - 5, in Russia - 6, in Poland - 22, in the USA - 74,2, EU-countries - 45 and in Belarus - 3,3. In 2005 from the total 32.700 businesses of small entrepreneurship 13.300 enterprises acted in trade and catering (40,6% of the total), 7.500 (22,8 %) - in industry and 12,3% - in construction.
We can really consider the Belarusian entrepreneurship as one of the most modern and educated social group. Almost 74% of those doing business have a higher education. An average Belarusian enterprise employs 11 – 50 persons. Only 5,5% of enterprises employ over 200 persons. Private Belarusian business is mostly small. It has a rich experience in working on the market. An average head of a private commercial enterprise of Belarus has work experience over 9 years.
Almost half of private enterprises do not finance their activity with credits, while obtaining a credit is a serious problem. Credits for more than a year total only 7,8% of the all capital. The statutory fund totals the lion`s share (70,2%). About 60% of enterprises have the rate of profitability to 10%, 14% of them - less than 5%. Only 2,5% of private business declare its high profitable activity (over 50% of profitability). An average private Belarusian enterprise pays taxes and duties that total 28,6% of its profit. And according to the Belarusian business community the tax 13,5% of the profit is fair.
Besides serious difficulties for business development, unfavorable investment climate a high demand for entrepreneur activity remains in the country. Almost 49% of those involved in business want their children act in business also. Almost 90% of the country population consider that the development of entrepreneurship is useful for the country, they treat entrepreneurs not as greedy egoists and cruel exploiters, but as suppliers of goods and services, creators of working places, donors of the Republican and local budgets.
Every business is a creation and braveness. Every entrepreneur is a creator of added value in industry, trade, service sphere or construction. He/She is not a dependant. He/She gives but not takes. He/She creates his/her future because it is matter for he/she in what conditions his/her family lives, where his/her children learn and what kind of old age he/she will have (however the majority of entrepreneurs think about it).
Action of responsible, independent entrepreneurs create friendly neighborhood, solidary local community, strong and flourishing country - New Belarus. The country that is able to settle any issues. Our home, hospitable and clean, contemporary and competitive, cultural and spiritual. It is the way of life of a country where entrepreneurs and the authorities are full and equitable partners.
If business and the civil society mutually supplement and enrich each other, if businessmen and politicians, state employees and budget-sponsored employees are able to pluck up their courage to face their future but not to recall their past; to continue further development but not return back, the country becomes strong and prosperous.
The Belarusian entrepreneurship has experienced much. We have experienced unfair competition with operators of the shadow market. We have learned to produce and trade, to create companies and brands. We have learned to understand our customers and foreign partners. Every day we create a new quality of life. We live and work in a real world, often face incomprehension, cruelty and boorishness. In order to work more effectively, to compete more successfully, to be more open-handed and attentive we need help from the state. No, not charity and donations, not an excessive care and special greenhouse conditions. We need Law. Strict and fair. Equal for all. Law that protects fair work and punishes for fraud. Law that helps and stimulates the national business to be competitive and socially responsible.
The Belarusian business is ready to become the leader of the post-Soviet area, to occupy a worthy place on the market of the European Union, in the international labor division, if our Government creates competitive advantages for us: stable money, available credit resources, developed finance market, clear and moderate taxation, free trade, simple and cheap access to the market. The distinguishing feature of Belarus should be an effective system of protection of property and independent, fair court. We offer an equitable partnership to the Government. We are ready to create a new dynamic economy, responsible and fair society, a strong and flourishing state.
We unite ourselves not around a person or a structure. We unite ourselves on the single intellectual ground, ideas of free entrepreneurship, and respect to the property rights. Social responsibility and an intension to create a real partnership with the state consolidate us. For the first time in Belarus we act not as specifically corporate lobbyists but on behalf of the Belarusian business, representing its interests and protecting its rights.
We consider that development of Belarus requires fundamentally other business climate and attitude of the authorities to the work of entrepreneurs.
The National Business Agenda of Belarus unites entrepreneurship on the priority reforms in the following spheres:
1) protection of the property rights and development of the market institutes;
2) taxation;
3) licensing and the system of giving of allowances;
4) checks, fines and punishment;
5) registration and liquidation;
6) access to information and openness of the state.
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