Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
A manager at a private beach has been fired after putting up a list of prices which included the fee for rescuing drowning people.
An unidentified holidaymaker filmed the entrance to a VIP beach named ‘Voda’ in the city of Sochi on Russia’s Black Sea coast showing a list of prices for services at the beach.
He said: “Sochi continues to amaze me. Private beach, RUB 7000 (GBP 67) a day. And then, there are several fee-based services. Rescue in the water, RUB 800 (GBP 7.86). Great.”
The video was shared on social media and quickly went viral, leading to a public outcry.
The video garnered several comments from netizens who said that charging to use the beach is not only immoral but also not entirely legal.
Elena Ch. commented on Facebook: “They have no right to do this. There is a law stating that neither rivers nor seas can be closed. Only sanatoriums where medical procedures are carried out have the right to do this. However, there are not many of them in Sochi. Therefore, such ‘business’ runs counter to the laws of the Russian Federation.”
Tatiana M. commented: “People who go there are so ripped off that it’s scary to go there on holiday. Obviously our citizens do not understand that salaries in Russia are not very high.”
Others suggested holidaying abroad to be a better option, with Vyacheslav Sh. commenting: “It’s better to go to Turkey or Egypt, where everything is already included: sand, swimming pools and service, which includes rescuing drowning people for free.”
Others, however, said there was nothing wrong with charging for the beach, with netizen ‘Zina’ commenting: “There are paid beaches everywhere. You have to pay for the increased ‘comfort’, and those who cannot can go to the free beach and lie on a towel, like me.”
After the outcry, a spokesperson from the city administration made a statement confirming that the person responsible for the sign in question had been sacked.
According to a resort spokesman, the Voda Surf Station, which is the tenant of the beach area, does not currently provide paid rescue services and assists people in distress in the water free of charge.
