The Latgale suburb court found tourist consultant Eleonora Ivanova guilty of violating sanctions and organizing tourist trips to Crimea and sentenced her to 100 hours of community service.
In turn, the company SIA "My Best Choice Tour- MBC Tour" (formerly "Mkbc Tour"), which she represented, was subjected to a coercive measure - a fine of 15 minimum monthly wages, or 10,500 euros.
Previously, the first-instance court acquitted Ivanova, but the district court decided to overturn the verdict and punish her with community service.
The district court's decision was appealed, and a cassation proceeding was initiated, but currently, the date for its consideration has not been scheduled, as reported by the LETA agency in the Supreme Court.
As previously reported, the tourist consultant Eleonora Ivanova is accused in the case, who does not admit her guilt in the crime attributed to her - violation of sanctions.
The woman is accused under the first part of Article 84 of the Criminal Code, which provides for liability for violating sanctions established by international organizations and Latvia. For such a crime, a punishment of up to four years of imprisonment, short-term imprisonment, community service, or a fine may be imposed.
This criminal case was initiated in connection with the violation of the prohibition established by the Regulation of the Council of the European Union (EU) on the provision of services directly related to tourist activities in Crimea and Sevastopol.
The investigator of the Security Police believes that there is enough evidence to initiate criminal prosecution against an individual for intentional violation of regulations governing the sanctions imposed by the EU and other international organizations in Latvia, or defining and regulating the action of national sanctions of Latvia.
On December 18, 2014, the EU Council adopted a regulation on restrictions in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, which includes a ban on providing services directly related to tourist activities in Crimea and Sevastopol.
On June 17, 2015, the Security Police conducted a search at one of the enterprises providing services related to tourist activities in Crimea and Sevastopol. Investigative actions were carried out in two premises of the enterprise in Riga, at the addresses Marijas 7 and Dzirnavu Street, 57, which are associated with a legal entity registered in Latvia.
The travel consultant "Mkbc Tour" Ivanova then informed the LETA agency that in May and June, travel packages to Crimea for four people were sold. She stated that the travel company was not informed that such trips were prohibited.
"Mkbc Tour" was registered in 2008, and in 2023 it changed its name to "My Best Choice Tour- MBC Tour."
