France will fine irresponsible tourists that get into accidents Aug 24, 2009

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Citizens of France might want to second guess their plans for travelling to our world's hot spots, as they will be forced to reimburse the French government for all the expenditures related to their rescue in case of emergencies. The new legal package, proposed by French minister of external affairs, determines an obligation for tourists to pay back all the expenditures related to their rescue and evacuation from combat zones or prisons in foreign countries. According to the author of this idea, such measures will teach French travelers to be more responsible and careful when making a choice for their next vacation destination. The measures are especially meaningful in a contemporary world, when we hear about kidnappings or sudden riots in different parts of the world every day.

The critics claim that this type of laws are unlikely to hold adventure hunters back from looking for trouble during trips to some of the most dangerous places of the world, because that why they want to go there in the first place. An additional argument against the above mentioned law consists in the fact that the government must protect its citizens, regardless of the financial or other type of expended resources. Nevertheless, the French ministry of external affairs declared that such measures will not affect people like Clotilde Reiss. The 24-year old French student was detained in an Iranian prison and was released into custody last Sunday, after the French government paid the bail.

The ministry also announced that new law will only be applicable to travelers who spend their vacations in dangerous areas, as well as their tour agents. Paying the evacuation in case of a force major situation will not be required from diplomats, airline employees, journalists, or other French nationals whose work entails foreign residence. An example of a situation when reimbursement of evacuation expenses will be required in the form of a fine, is the 2008 riot in Thailand, when the French government had to fly 500 tourists back to France at taxpayers' expense because the tourists were in the middle of a combat zone.