Panaji: Amid reports that Russia has ‘struck off' India and Goa from the list of ‘safe' destinations for its tourists, a Russian envoy today clarified that no such advisory was ever issued officially.
“The consulate confirms that there has been no advisory regarding ‘India no longer a safe destination for Russians' as reported in the press,” the Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Goa, Victor Albuquerque stated in a release issued by the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Goa.
He said only government of the Russian Federation or consular authorities can issue any travel advisory. His statement came after the Goa-based Russian Information Centre (RIC) reportedly issued an advisory last week stating that “both India and Goa were not considered as good destinations for Russian travellers”.
Some reports in media had quoted the RIC's statement that a revised travel advisory to this effect has been formulated after the black-listing of Turkey and Egypt. However, RIC later clarified that its statement was “misconstrued” by media.
Albuquerque, however, said that there were some issues affecting Russian tourists visiting the coastal state, which needed to be streamlined.
The statement said the Consulate did not subscribe to the news items expressed by the RIC which is a private travel agency operating in Goa.
“Apropos the news item appearing in the various local newspapers/online news portals relating to ‘India no longer a safe destination for Russians', the Consulate of the Russian Federation does not subscribe to the news items expressed by the Russian Information Centre which is a private travel agency operating in Goa and which has sourced its information from Interfax which is again a private news agency,” Albuquerque said.
Citing the Consul General in Mumbai, he said that from time to time, it gets information and suggestion from Russian tourists staying in Goa regarding some minor irritants such as requiring tourists to return to their country in the same charter on which they have arrived in Goa.
“Similarly, issues such as extension of visas, loss of passports need to be streamlined so as to assure visiting Russian tourists a hassle-free stay in Goa,” Albuquerque added.
The Consulate further said that any advisory to the Russian citizens will be made available through the Consulate of the Russian Federation.
The media reports had quoted a Russian news agency to claim that “Unfortunately, both India and Goa, were not discussed as a promising direction for Russian travellers”.
RIC head Ekaterina Belyakova had clarified on Sunday that her statement was misunderstood by the media. The development was considered as a major blow to Goa as most of its foreign tourists comprise Russians.
