Wine, wild boar and sanctions: Rome questions tours to occupied Crimea

ROME-- Italy’s foreign ministry is examining whether tours to Russian occupied Crimea offered by an Italian run travel agency breach EU sanctions, the Rome daily Il Messaggero reported Monday.

  The ministry said the evidence gathered so far did not establish a violation, according to a written reply seen by the newspaper. The matter has been brought to the attention of Italy’s Financial Security Committee.

  The case is concerning Russian Tour International, a St. Petersburg based company founded by Italian national Marco Maggi. Il Messaggero described Crimea itineraries featuring Yalta’s coastal landmarks, wine tastings, and hunting trips near Sevastopol.

  Democratic Party MP Lia Quartapelle called for checks in July to the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, asking whether the company’s activities fell within the EU sanctions rules. She pointed to the Italian language website and telephone numbers for Rome, Milan, Genoa and Palermo.

  Russia has occupied Crimea since 2014, and the EU does not recognize the annexation of the Ukrainian Peninsula. EU sanctions prohibit services directly related to tourism in Crimea and Sevastopol.

  The ministry’s reply said the organizing and selling of such packages could breach EU rules where EU citizens, companies incorporated in member states or business conducted wholly or partly within the bloc were involved, Il Messaggero reported

  On a page advertising its Moscow and St. Petersburg packages, it states it does not “give a damn” about EU sanctions. It argues that the restrictions target European travel operators rather than its Russian company.

  Il Messaggero also reported that the full Crimea package was no longer visible on the website, although hunting trips near Sevastopol were still advertised at the time of the report.

  The ministry said the case could be referred to judicial authorities if the company’s activities are found to breach or circumvent EU sanctions.

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