Representatives of the National Association of Tourism Legal Agents of Moldova (ANAT) call on the authorities to convoke an extraordinary session of Parliament to give a second reading to the bill that extends the period for reimbursing travelers for services that weren’t provided due to the pandemic until September 30, 2022 and to adopt it. Or many companies will become insolvent or will spend all their earnings on paying lawyers, court courts and delay penalties, as they said
The period expires on December 31 this year. In a news conference hosted by IPN, the Association’s president Anna Colța said it is not clear why the bill proposed by Missis Iulia Dascălu wasn’t given a second reading. The bill was approved of and was adopted by the votes of 68 MPs after being given a first reading. But it wasn’t proposed for the second reading.
Anna Colța called upon President Maia Sandu, Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu and the parliamentary group of the Party of Action and Solidarity to support the tourism industry and to help it break the impasse so as to be able to reimburse clients for the non-provided services. This money was transferred to foreign tourism service providers. One of them, Mouzenidis Travel Greece, which had a share about 70% of Moldova’s market, announced the cessation of its operations and the interruption of servicing of tourists with already paid tour packages without refunding the advances. The problem hasn’t been solved yet.
“We insistently ask to urgently call an extraordinary sitting of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova for bill No. 382 of December 2, 2021 to be given a second reading as the business community considers this bill is strictly needed by consumer and tourism business entities in the Republic of Moldova,” stated the Association’s president.
Anna Colța also said that 2021 was a difficult year, with restrictions, with cancelled flights and other impediments. The number of tourists decreased significantly. The business entities managed to work only for a month and a half with Greece. Until July 5, the Moldovans were unable to travel to this country.
According to the National Association of Tourism Legal Agents, the Moldovan tourism agencies owe about
