in an interview with Parliamentary Newspaper, Russian Ambassador to the country Alexei Yerkhov. Moreover, he voiced advice regarding all the “problem points” on vacation – from the health of tourists to possible conflicts on vacation.
Advice from a diplomat is as follows:
- Firstly, tourists should correctly assess the state of their health. “Still, Turkey is a country with a hot climate, in July and August the temperature can rise to 40 degrees and above. In everything you need to know the measure and not to abuse the opportunities that are provided in Turkish resorts. It must be remembered that “excesses” can lead not only to spoiled rest, but also to more serious consequences,” the Russian diplomat said. He once again reminded tourists that the most common cause of death among our tourists is traditionally cardiovascular problems. Moreover, about 50 such cases have already been recorded in Antalya.
- The second advice is also medical – do not forget to purchase health insurance. According to him, it is clear that many tourists think “I am young, healthy, not sick,” but anything happens and you have to go to the doctors. “Insurance, it would seem, is a trifle, but sometimes it can help a lot. Medical services in Turkey are very expensive, and many problematic stories are connected precisely with the fact that our tourist does not have insurance at the right time, then he “gets” a lot of money – sometimes several tens of thousands of dollars, ”explained Mr. Yerkhov .
- The third tip is to follow the usual safety precautions. This applies to behavior on the water – in the sea or pool, in water parks. Separately, tourists are advised to monitor their children. “Yes, as a rule, there are lifeguards, there are animators, but there are times when they suddenly won’t be there when it’s really needed. Remember: these are your children, and you are primarily responsible for their lives,” the ambassador emphasized.
- Also, elementary caution should be observed when choosing excursions – and in general when “going out into the city”. “If you are interested in various extreme types of entertainment, at least make sure that the company providing you with such services is properly licensed. The same applies to tour agencies offering outbound tours around the country from the hotel – to Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and other places. And in general, you need to be careful on the road, remember that road users in Turkey do not always stop to let a pedestrian pass, even if he crosses the road on a zebra, the ambassador wrote.
- As for the problem with “interethnic conflicts”, according to the ambassador, the number of messages about them in social networks is still slightly higher than the number of real applications to the consulate. “Sometimes you read that something similar happened, you start to understand, it turns out that no appeals have been received to the Consulate General. And when our employees go to the place on their own initiative, everyone hides their eyes, they say, everything is fine, boss, nothing happened. Then it turns out that some kind of conflict between the excited citizens of different countries, apparently, nevertheless took place with the subsequent splashing out of “off-scale” emotions on the social network, but after a while the parties (apparently having slept and on their right heads) change their point of view on what happened, decide not to inflate the incident and no longer complain to anyone, as they understand that the Turkish authorities can easily deport especially “violent”, including imposing a ban on entry to Turkey in the future,” the diplomat explained.
- At the same time, he categorically advises Russians in Turkey to “behave prudently.” “I recently saw a comment by a very respected veteran of law enforcement agencies regarding conflicts in Turkish resorts: “I will hit first, and then I will leave.” Remember: you may not be able to go far, as a result, detention and a term are quite possible, and in Turkish conditions it is quite real. And the local Themis works oh so slowly, only you will have to sit in a pre-trial detention center for several months, and judicial procedures can drag on for years,” Mr. Yerkhov warned
- So in case of any real dangers, the diplomat's recommendation is as follows. “I always repeat: if a tourist feels that there is a real danger to his life and health, he should first of all not tell his subscribers about it, but immediately contact law enforcement agencies, as well as our Consulate General. If something goes wrong, immediately notify the hotel administration, travel agency, and, if necessary, law enforcement agencies and our consular officers.” True, he warned that there were only four consular workers in Antalya, and the district itself was hundreds of kilometers away, so the consul would not come to the call immediately, but in a few hours. “But to deal with conflicts, especially when the police have already arrived, of course, it is necessary in the presence of the consul, not to mention giving official testimony,” the ambassador emphasized.
Those who care about a healthy lifestyle life, we recommend reading: “The dentist reported why teeth turn yellow and gray after nerve removal.”