Category: Russian Federation

Turkey pays dearly for death of Russian tourists

RIA Novosti commentator Marina Selina

Several Russians were poisoned by the counterfeit alcohol in Turkey

Turkish prosecutors have called the poisoning of Russian tourists with counterfeit alcohol during a yacht tour premeditated murder. Turkey is doing all it can to help the Russians in an effort to mitigate the damage done to the reputation of the Turkish tourist industry. Turkey is prepared to compensate the victims generously.

Thousands of Russian tourists have found themselves in trouble during vacations abroad. But gaps in Russia’s tourism laws make it difficult to secure compensation and to ensure that the guilty parties are punished.

“They do not deserve mercy”

“This is not a case of poisoning by bad products due to negligence,” said Celal Kilic, adviser on culture and tourism at the Turkish Embassy, on Wednesday in Moscow.

Mr. Kilic went further in talks with Alexander Radkov, acting director of Russia’s Federal Tourism Agency: “Those who added methanol to the alcohol knew what they were doing – adding a poison that can kill people. This person or persons do not deserve mercy.”

Several Russians were poisoned by the counterfeit alcohol. Two victims, Maria Shalyapina and Aigul Zalyayeva, died in a hospital in Antalya. Another Russian woman, Marina Sheveleva, died several days later in a Moscow hospital. The fourth victim, Alexander Zhuchkov, died in a hospital in the Turkish city of Denizli on Monday.

Discount tour

On June 8, the Russian Public Chamber published the results of its own investigation into the poisoning. Head of the Center for the Protection of Citizens Abroad Dmitry Davydenko said the Turkish authorities have fully cooperated with the inquiry.

The Public Chamber established that tickets for the yacht tour were sold at a discounted rate. “Tickets were sold for $18 per person whereas the average price is $33; quality suffered as a result,” Davydenko reported.

The nighttime excursion was organized by the Turkish company Orhan Denizcilik Marina Tourism and Ticaret. Experts say that until recently the company’s reputation was beyond reproach. All in all, there were about a hundred people on the yacht. According to Coral Travel representative Denis Pavlov, there were 30 employees of Odeon Tours (which, along with Coral Travel, is part OTI Holding) and another 30 Russian tourists on board, as well as citizens of other countries, including Europeans.

All passengers underwent medical check-ups after the first cases of poisoning. More than 20 people were taken to hospital. Four Russians were in critical condition and later died.

According to the Turkish Agricultural Ministry, the Russians were poisoned by the counterfeit whiskey Mister Burdon, which was imported into Turkey from Northern Cyprus by the company Jasmine and sold by the Ankara-based Birlik Gida at the local market.

The company sold 12,000 bottles of fake whiskey in the provinces of Ankara, Mersin, Antalya and Mugla. It would be premature to level accusations at specific individuals while the investigation is still underway. On June 7, France Presse quoted the Turkish news agency Anatolia as saying that the Turkish police have already confiscated 7,000 bottles of fake alcohol and arrested 22 people.

The Public Chamber believes that those responsible for the deaths of Russian tourists must face criminal prosecution.

If nobody had died…

It is not yet clear what compensation the victims and their families will receive.

Davydenko announced that Russia will seek compensation from the Turkish side. In the Public Chamber’s estimate, compensation could be as high as $100,000 per person. Lawyers for Odeon Tours have already filed a lawsuit against Orhan Denizcilik Marina Tourism and Ticaret.

Travel agencies and government bodies in both Russia and Turkey are doing all they can to deal with the consequences of the tragedy. Turkey has announced that it is prepared to pay for the medical treatment of the victims in the hospitals of Antalya and Denizli in excess of the sum covered by insurance. Turkey is also prepared to pay for the victims’ families to travel and stay in Turkey.

This is a huge scandal. It has seriously damaged the reputation of resorts in Turkey, and the actions of the Turkish authorities are justified. Cynical as it may sound, if nobody had died the outcome could have been different.

Russian tourists that find themselves in trouble during vacations abroad often fail to get compensation for material let alone psychological damage. Russian tourism laws do not specify the minimum insurance coverage for damages sustained during vacations. Experts, officials and travel agents keep talking about the need for this, but the laws have not yet been changed.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s and may not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

via Turkey pays dearly for death of Russian tourists | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti.

June 15, 2011
3 Russian Tourists Dead of Suspected Alcohol Poisoning

By Natalya Krainova

Three Russian tourists have died and 17 others have been sickened by suspected alcohol poisoning during a yacht party in Turkey, the Federal Tourism Agency said Wednesday.

Of the 70 participants of the yacht trip, which took place near the Aegean Sea resort of Bodrum late Friday, 20 Russians applied for medical aid over the weekend, complaining of nausea, vomiting and loss of consciousness, the agency said in a statement on its web site.

The first two deaths, Maria Shalyapina, 27, and Aigul Zalyayeva, 19, occurred in Turkish hospitals earlier this week, it said. Marina Shevelyova, 22, returned to Moscow and died in a hospital late Tuesday.

Only one person, Viktoria Nikolayeva, remained hospitalized Wednesday, said Marina Badayeva, deputy director of the Coral Travel agency, which brought the Russians to Turkey. The tourist is in grave condition, Badayeva told Interfax.

Natives of Azerbaijan, Britain, Kazakhstan and Ukraine were also aboard the yacht but did not report any health problems, Interfax said, citing an unidentified Coral Travel representative.

The cause of the poisoning is believed to be whiskey mixed with methanol, an undrinkable type of alcohol used to produce gas, diesel fuel, perfumes and varnish, Argumenty i Fakty reported Wednesday.

Whiskey was not on the menu because local regulations ban spirits aboard tourist yachts, which means that the Russians might have brought it with them, Interfax said.

The yacht did not have a sailing license, and the tour was organized by a Turkish agency, the Federal Tourism Agency said in a separate statement.

Turkish authorities have opened a criminal investigation and will report to Russian authorities within a week, the statement said.

Turkey also will examine all retail alcohol sales and ask local travel agents to regularly instruct tourists on where and how to buy quality alcohol and food, it said.

Turkey has pledged to cover the medical bills of those who fell ill and pay for travel and accommodation costs for relatives who flew to Bodrum to assist them, RIA-Novosti reported.

The insurance company that provided mandatory coverage for the sickened tourists, Ingosstrakh, said it would fulfill its obligations as obliged under contract. But it was unclear whether the victims were entitled to compensation because alcohol poisoning is generally not covered by insurance contracts, RIA-Novosti said.

Moonshine kills thousands of people in Russia every year, but similar incidents also have been reported at Turkish resorts. In 2009, three young Germans died from drinking illicitly distilled liquor in the resort town of Kemer.

Russian tourist operators have reported no decrease in demand for trips to Turkey following the yacht incident, Interfax reported.

via 3 Russian Tourists Dead of Suspected Alcohol Poisoning | News | The Moscow Times.

June 2, 2011
Russia Says U.S. May Extend Missile Shield to Bulgaria, Turkey

Russia is concerned the U.S. may expand its planned missile shield in Poland and Romania to other eastern European countries and Turkey, a senior military official said.

“Russia is deeply concerned that after Poland and Romania, elements of U.S. missile defense will emerge in the Czech Republic, Turkey, Bulgaria and some other NATO members,” the deputy chief of Russia’s general staff, Valery Gerasimov, told foreign diplomats today in Moscow. “In the future, it may create risks for Russian strategic nuclear forces.”

A U.S. factsheet on its proposed missile shield, published May 3, mentions only Romania and Poland as sites where hardware would be based. The U.S. embassy in Moscow declined to comment.

Russian leaders complain the shield, which the U.S. says is needed to guard against threats from countries such as Iran, will blunt their nuclear deterrent. They have warned of a new arms race within the next decade unless the U.S. and its allies agree to cooperate with Russia on missile defense.

Russia may quit a nuclear arms treaty with the U.S. if it doesn’t get legally enforceable guarantees it won’t be targeted by the shield, President Dmitry Medvedev said May 18.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ilya Arkhipov in Moscow at [email protected]; Henry Meyer in Moscow at [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Balazs Penz at [email protected]

via Russia Says U.S. May Extend Missile Shield to Bulgaria, Turkey – Bloomberg.

May 21, 2011
Russian tourists will prefer Armenia for Turkey and Egypt

YEREVAN. – Armenia has great chances to increase influx of Russian tourists considerably, said Russian official during round-table discussions on tourism held in Yerevan.

Head of Federal Agency on Tourism Alexander Radkov said Egypt and Turkey, traditional directions preferred by Russians, experience hard times. Therefore, Russians show stronger interest in cultural tourism.

“Due to cold climate in Russia, the sun and the sea are always in demand, but people do not want to visit the same places every time. Nowadays, Russians have become more interested in cultural tourism and Armenia has a good chance to receive more Russian tourists,” he said.

Armenia is interesting for its religious monuments, skiing resorts and cultural directions. He stressed there should be “an Armenian brand” to attract Russians. Alexander Radkov promised to lobby Armenia’s interests in Russia.

via Russian tourists will prefer Armenia for Turkey and Egypt | Armenia News – NEWS.am.

April 20, 2011
Russia and Turkey shift to visaless regimen

ANKARA, April 16 (Itar-Tass) — The agreement between the governments of Russia and Turkey on the conditions of mutual trips by citizens of the two countries entered into force on Saturday. It was signed in Ankara on May 12, 2010 during President Dmitry Medvedev’s first visit to Turkey. The last finishing touch to the practical application of these arrangements was made in March this year with the ratification of the agreement on readmission.

The easier visa regimen enables people in either country to travel to the other without wasting time on visa procedures at the embassies or at the border. As Russian general consul in Ankara Alexei Shivanov told Itar-Tass, the agreement establishes a 30-day period during which the citizen who has, for example, a standard Russian foreign passport can continuously stay in the territory of Turkey.

“There are certain restrictions, though. Russians and Turks may stay in the other state without a visa for a total of 90 days during a 180-day period. That is, within six months they can enter and leave the territory of the country without any restrictions, but they may stay there for no more than 90 days,” he said. For longer visits the applicants will have to turn to the consular authorities to obtain visas, as before. The agreement leaves in place restrictions for citizens entering the territory of the other state in connection with employment, for studies or other purposes requiring presence over 30 days.

via ITAR-TASS.

April 17, 2011
Turkey, Russia to start visa-free travel

ANKARA, April 15 (Xinhua) — Turkish and Russian nationals will be able to travel between the two countries without obtaining a visa starting from Saturday, the Anatolia news agency said Friday.

Turkey and Russia signed an agreement last year to lift visa requirements for their citizens traveling to the other side and the agreement will take effect as of April 16, 2011, said the report.

The move is expected to boost bilateral trade to 40 billion U.S. dollars from the current 26.2 billion dollars within one year and promote tourism as well, the report said.

Turkish and Russian citizens can travel for 30 days without visa within a 90-day period, according to the agreement.

Mehmet Buyukeksi, president of Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) , said he hoped this historic step with Russia would be an example to other EU countries, added the report.

Russia was the second biggest trade partner of Turkey and considered as a target market by all exporter sectors, he said.

Editor: Xiong Tong

April 16, 2011