Food retailer’s top manager arrested over price hikes

October 27, BPN. Financial investigations have accused the Sosedi food retailer’s top manager over unjustified price hikes, the Prosecutor General’s press office reported.

The Minsk Prosecutor’s Office has sanctioned his arrest on criminal charges of failure to comply with the government’s price control directives, it added.

The suspect allegedly damaged public interests by failing to prevent prices of 65 items from rising in 100 stores. Authorities also accused him of violating rights of at least 1,000 consumers who bought overpriced goods.

Alaksandr Łukašenka signed a directive to freeze consumer prices on October 6, in a bid to curb galloping inflation. He demanded that any price increases should be authorized by the state. On October 10, has said the freeze was only a short-term measure.

Belarusian authorities have already opened more than ten criminal cases over price hikes.