The Estonian State Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal case against several Estonian travel agencies suspected of organizing tourist trips to the Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine, reports the UE with reference to Postimees. “The State Attorney’s Office confirms that searches were conducted in the offices of five travel agencies regarding that firms could organize tourist trips to the Crimea-occupied and Sevastopol occupied by Russia, where, in accordance with the European Union’s sanctions decision, it was forbidden to organize visit tours and provide tourist services there ", - told BNS press secretary of the State Prosecutor's Office Kaarel Kallas.

"Due to the fact that the Russian Federation violated the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the European Union in 2014 imposed sanctions on the provision of services in the annexed territories. The list also includes a ban on the provision of tourist services - trips to the Crimea and Sevastopol.

This measure was introduced jointly by all EU countries and is aimed at giving a clear signal that no EU country recognizes the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation as illegal, ”Kallas emphasized..

According to him, the initial suspicions in connection with this were brought to five persons who were interrogated and then released.. Prosecutors do not intercede in custody of any of them, Callas added.

Estonian travel agencies have sold vouchers to Crimea for years, ignoring European law and putting their clients at risk.