Strategy for entrepreneurship development until 2030 in Belarus

Irina Malgina,
Associate Professor, Ph. D. (Economics),
The Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus,
Belarus

Small and medium entrepreneurship (SMEs) in Belarus have several stages of development, starting from the mid-80s of the XX century. An important stage in the development SMEs in the Republic of Belarus was the Strategy for the development of small and medium entrepreneurship «Belarus – a country of successful entrepreneurship» (Strategy) for the period up to 2030, adopted on October 17, 2018 by The Council of Ministers of The Republic Of Belarus. The adoption of this Strategy was a significant moment in the transformation of the state economic policy towards SMEs. According to the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, SMEs today have a significant share in the country’s macro indicators. Thus, SMEs account for 30% of gross value added, 47.8% of exports, and 39% of investment in fixed assets. The adoption of the Strategy, which outlined the Principles of State Policy in the field of support and development of SMEs, undoubtedly contributed to the growth of SMEs.

The goal of the Strategy is a dynamically developing SME sector that can significantly improve the structure of the Belarusian economy, increase its competitiveness, provide effective employment and increase the population’s income.

While structurally there are 3 main tasks: creation of favourable administrative, legal and economic conditions for business growth and generate private business; formation of a system of measures and incentives for quality development of the SME sector, enhance its innovation and investment component; creating a flexible organizational structure to ensure efficient implementation of state policy in the field of support and development of entrepreneurship and small business with broad participation of the business community.

It is important in this Strategy to highlight the principles of public policy in relation to the support and development of SMEs. All these principles correspond to global trends, namely: Expediency, Efficiency, Alignment of Interests, Consistency of Actions, Transparency, Consistency and Adequacy, and State Incentives for Entrepreneurship.

One of the important principles is the Principle of State Incentives for Entrepreneurship, which is planned to be implemented using the following tools: institutional policy that forms a system of formal and informal institutions that is favorable for entrepreneurship; macroeconomic policy that ensures the alignment of public and private economic interests based on the priority of society’s needs with ensuring profitability of business; a differentiated approach to the distribution of state resources (including the provision of tax incentives and preferences) for the purpose of priority development of priority activities; state support for employment in the system of small and medium-sized businesses; the formation of a positive image of the entrepreneur.

Among the measures planned for action are the following. Within the framework of an enabling administrative and economic environment for revitalization citizens ‘entrepreneurial activities and private business development provide, in particular, for the introduction in the republic of a mechanism for assessing the regulatory impact of regulatory legal acts that affect the conditions for entrepreneurial activity.

The strategy also provides for creating a competitive environment and ensuring equal business conditions for subjects of various forms of ownership; improving property relations; forming a rational fiscal policy, simplifying accounting and reporting; expanding access of SMEs to financial resources, and many other areas.

It is advisable to focus on measures to create a positive image of the entrepreneur in society and the implementation of business activities. In particular, the following can be noted: publication of information and presentation materials on the achievements of SMEs in the country and regions, their active dissemination in the country and abroad; assistance in organizing industry and inter-industry projects, competitions and ratings that identify the best SMEs; regular coverage at the national and local levels of the achievements of SMEs in various industries and spheres of activity; promotion of specific individuals, successful in business; conducting competitions among mass media for the best coverage and promotion of business activities; the establishment of the state of the professional holiday – Day of The Entrepreneur; assistance to formation of professional ethics of the SMEs; media coverage of examples of their charitable and socially oriented activities popularization in the mass media of the social significance of entrepreneurship as a way of self-realization of the individual and ensuring employment of the population; the policy intransigence of state power to the infringement of the legitimate rights of small organizations and individual entrepreneurs; wide coverage in the media of the facts of violations and measures taken to punish the culprits and remedy violations.

Expert article 2775

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