[ad_1]
It is expected to get out of this situation in the next seven to 10 days, at which time the issuance of bank guarantees should be considered as a model to guarantee travel security, when completing tourist procedures. However, it does not mean much to all agencies, because only the strongest will have money for them.
In the last month, many associations have warned the authorities that their licenses expire on October 1, as well as that insurers no longer want to issue policies, due to the alleged excessive risk in business, which would mean a key to the lock. However, at “one minute to twelve” a meeting was held between the authorities of the Ministry and the representatives of the Association of Banks, in which the issue of bank guarantees was discussed.
– The representatives of the Association of Banks will present a proposal of the procedure for the operation and eventual activation of bank guarantees by the end of the week – said Minister of Tourism Rasim Ljajić. – This travel guarantee model has never been used in practice, although it is provided for by the Tourism Law. The procedure adopted will be incorporated into the new Rulebook on travel guarantees. Representatives of the Ministry will mediate between insurance companies and travel agencies, in order to resolve the current dispute.
According to Ljajic, it is quite unusual for insurance companies, three days before the expiration of current licenses, to inform agencies in vain that they will not provide this type of service, justifying themselves with a high degree of risk.
“The bottom line is that insurance companies assess the risks of each individual agency and do business with those they deem to be stable and solvent,” Ljajic noted. – We will not revoke your licenses, because we hope the problem will be solved in the next ten days. And as the summer season has already ended, no new tourist arrangements are expected in this period.
As “Novosti” unofficially finds out, there is most likely nothing from the agreement with the insurance companies. This means that bank guarantees will be the only solution for companies. Obtaining them is not easy, nor cheap, because the average bank guarantee will be between 300,000 and 400,000 euros. Many travel agencies in Serbia have told us that this figure, especially at this time, is not realistic, and that only about twenty travel agencies will remain on the market, about 480 tour operators, as many as they are currently operating.
REPLACEMENT TRAVEL RISK
IF only the bank guarantee remains, many travel agencies that are now travel organizers will be left without their license and will have to become subagents. And while some claim that this will create order in this market, because only large agencies will remain, which will be able to guarantee your business with your property, there are also those who explain that if that happens, replacement vouchers will be issued, instead of traveling, it is questionable . The value of the bond is estimated to be around 100 million euros. Unlicensed agencies will not be able to travel, even if they become subagents.
EU RAM STILL REDUCED
THE BORDERS OF THE EU will remain closed to the citizens of Serbia until further notice, they decided in Brussels, “Novosti” has learned at the headquarters of European diplomacy.
The ambassadors of the member states did not even consider changing the list of third countries that can enter the Schengen area during the pandemic, because experts concluded on Monday that there is no reason for changes. The list is reviewed every fortnight, and two weeks ago, Serbia met the conditions set with fewer than 16 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants, at a time when many EU countries have a much higher percentage of infected people. Obviously, it is a political decision. (G. Č.)
Follow us through iOS and Android apps
[ad_2]
