French travellers may be billed for rescue

French tourists landing in trouble overseas may have to repay the government for its help.

Travel Insurance News - 20/08/2009

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France’s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, has proposed a draft law that would require French tourists travelling abroad to reimburse the government for their rescue from hostile situations, war zones and hostage-taking situations.

According to government officials, legislation aims to promote responsibility among travellers as kidnappings and incidents of piracy increase internationally.

Those opposed to the proposed law do not believe that adventurous travellers will be deterred from dangerous destinations and stressed that the French government must help in citizens when they find themselves in trouble abroad.

The Foreign Ministry explained that many cases would not be affected by the new legislation - such as that of the 24-year-old teacher, Clotilde Reiss, who was jailed in Iran and then free when the French government paid her bail, in an amount equivalent to £170,000.

It claims that the law would only apply to French citizens on leisure travel, and not aid workers, diplomats or others engaged in professional work.

One example of costs borne by the government was cited by a Foreign Ministry official, in which the 500 tourists were repatriated from Thailand when civil unrest broke out in that country last year – at a cost to the government of approximately £614,000.

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