The information was published on the official Telegram channel of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee’s Internal Affairs Directorate and has already caused a widespread public outcry.
«Social Media is Not a Store»
The Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized: Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram are not official trading platforms. Consequently, conducting commercial activities there is prohibited.
In practice, this means that pages with clothing, cosmetics, electronics, and services operating only via social media may find themselves outside the law.
What are the requirements for legal trade
Law enforcement reminded that an online store must have a website in the .BY domain zone and be registered in the official registry.
Additionally, the seller’s profile must indicate:
- UNP (Payer’s Identification Number),
- legal address,
- state registration data.
A social media account can only be used as an additional channel, but only if all the necessary information is present. If this data is missing, the Ministry of Internal Affairs refers to such a page as a «ghost storefront».
What this means for business
Many entrepreneurs have worked exclusively through social media for years without creating a separate website. Now they may face fines and business bans.
For buyers, this is also a signal: the absence of mandatory details means a high risk of encountering illegal trade.
Whether this will mark the beginning of large-scale inspections of online sellers will become clear in the near future.