Bureaucracy is till cumbersome in Belarus, so it is important to plan ahead. Make appointments in good time ideally through a third party who can act as a guarantor for you. This third party should be someone with a good reputation and a reasonable network of associates within the business community.

Prior to any meeting, the top executive of the company you are meeting should be made aware of who you are, your business interests, your proposal and what kind of support you have from within Belarus. Your third party contact should ensure this information is passed on.

Remember: in Belarus dates are written as the day first, then the month and then the year.

Meetings are quite formal but with relatively little fanfare. If unsure about anything, just observe and follow. Business meetings and/or negotiations can be trying affairs. Patience and the ability to stand ones ground are key.

Legal regulations in Belarus are complex. If planning on doing business there, it is important you hire the services of a local lawyer, who can act as an independent consultant, offering you advice on legal issues.

Belarussian negotiators aim for one thing - concessions. Be prepared to concede on some things to ensure they feel they have accomplished something. If you see your counterparts walk out of negotiations, remain calm. This is merely part and parcel of the whole experience and is designed to ruffle your feathers. Bear in mind that decisions are made on levels, so if you manage to gain agreement with one level of a company, it does not automatically mean the rest will agree. Generally speaking, the higher up the echelons you go, the easier it is to get a 'yes'.

The Republic of Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with the capital city of Minsk.

Belarus is bordered by Poland and Lithuania to the west, Latvia to the northwest, Russia to the east and Ukraine to the south.

Belarusian; also Russian.

The territory of the present-day Republic of Belarus was first settled by Slavic and Baltic tribes in the 6th and 8th centuries. On this Belarusian territory, which at that time included also the Duchy of the present-day Poland and Smolensk region of Russia, and on the territory of the neighboring Lithuania and partly Ukraine, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was founded in the 13th century.

In 1986 after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster, the Republic of Belarus suffered the heaviest losses.

On July 27^th 1990 the state proclaimed its independence and sovereignty from the Soviet Union.

Legally permitted opening hours:

Monday - Saturday: 9.00am – 7.00pm.

(Some stores are open also on Sundays: 9.00am – 1.00pm.)