Farewell to «Premier»?

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   On the 11th of November a BANKO correspondent received a comment from experts on the subject of the possible relocation of Premier Travel Services to the office of a ‘friendly travel firm’ – according to a statement received from Olga Ryibina, managing director of the company. (see news as of the 10th of November). According to the majority of those interviewed, the operator is merely playing for time in an attempt to catch agents off their guard which the firm owes money or services to, as well as law-enforcement authorities. ‘Just another move – an attempt to calm the tourist society? ‘Premier’ hopes to be forgotten’ – believes Alexey Sergecheev, ‘IntAer’ vice-president. Eduard Kuznetsov, co-owner of ‘Megapolus-Aviacharter’ who ‘Premier’ owes $95 460, adds: ‘Unfortunately, time works for these people. I can say that Mr Potapov did not keep his promise to get in touch with me and discuss terms of compensation for damages. Now we intend to solve it officially’.
   Yet experts believe that to solve the problem through the courts will be hard. ‘I believe that 80% of agencies will contact the police, but there is an absence of proof: it is unlikely many of them will even have receipts with the stamp of the company.’ Mused Tatina Vand, director of ‘Vand Internation tour’. According to Vand, it is possible that the operator is planning to rewrite property to other people so that if the case comes to court it could claim bankruptcy and escape paying compensation. A further pessimistic prognosis is made by Anna Podgornaya, director of sales in ‘Pegasik Touristik’: ‘Based on previous cases of bankrupt companies, it is very unlikely the situation with ‘Premier’ will work itself out’.
   There is another point of view: as if operator creating illusion of its reanimation, it is not as much trying to escape administration of justice but acquired enemies – ex business partners that decided to seek repayment of their debts through forceful means.