The State Duma approved the return of funds to the participants of the SVO for unused tours

Deputies of the State Duma adopted a law on the return of funds for unused tourist vouchers to participants in the military operation in Ukraine. Corresponding law parliamentarians considered immediately in the second and third readings. The law applies to tours purchased after September 1, 2021. It will be possible to apply for a refund within three years from the date of conclusion of the contract with the travel agency. Having received it, the operator will be obliged to return the money within 10 days.

In the explanatory note, the authors of the initiative (a group of deputies from the New People and LDPR factions) indicated that the mobilized citizens could not use the vouchers due to circumstances beyond their control, but at the same time they did not have the right to claim a refund of the full cost of the service.

“In case of cancellation of the tour due to partial mobilization, the refund, in accordance with the law, is made minus the costs actually incurred by the tour operator. And if changes are made to the tour when replacing the tourist, an additional payment may be required … for a refund, the tourist can contact the tour operator a few days before the start of the tour, because it is not possible for the tourist to predict the receipt of the summons, respectively, the actual costs incurred by the tour operator will tend to 100 % of the cost of the tour, ”is indicated in the explanatory note.

In this regard, the legislators proposed to amend the law “On the Fundamentals of Tourist Activities in the Russian Federation” and indicate that the conscription of a citizen for military service for mobilization, entry into military service in the armed forces of the Russian Federation under a contract from February 24, 2022, as well as the conclusion of of this date of the contract on voluntary assistance to the tasks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation relate to significant changes in the circumstances of the contract on the sale of a tourist product.

Thus, military personnel and members of their families will be able to demand the termination of the contract and the return of the funds paid within three years from the date of the agreement.

For more information about what happens after the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine, see online broadcasts “b”.

Grigory Leiba