Lithuanian Foreign Ministry Chancellor Inga Černiuk on Friday advised vacationers against travelling to destinations popular among Russians because of potential tensions over differing views on the war in Ukraine.
Černiuk suggested opting for countries where fewer Russians spend their vacations because of sanctions.
“If we can choose a European destination, let’s choose it,” she told LRT RADIO.
According to Černiuk, some countries “are trying to please Russian tourists” because they see things differently “or are in a grey zone”.
“Let’s think about whether these are the countries we really want to go to,” she said.
“Not everyone in the world sees this war [in Ukraine] through the same prism of values. Take Egypt, Turkey, and Thailand, for example; they’re packed with Russian tourists, and the additional risks of conflicts among tourists have increased significantly,” the chancellor added.
Černiuk said there are other countries, such as Moldova, Armenia, or Georgia, where such tensions are possible.
“When travelling to these countries, you have to be aware of the added risk of polarisation with societies that don’t necessarily share our values,” she said.
The chancellor warned that actively expressing one’s stance can lead to more serious conflicts when tourists may need consular assistance.
Recently, Lithuanian tourists on holiday in Egypt, who shouted “Slava Ukraini” (Glory to Ukraine) during a karaoke night, angered Russian tourists, were pelted with glasses, and eventually decided to move to another hotel.
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