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In the evening on October 19, BANKO reporter had a telephone interview with Svetlana Golikova, manager for liaison with travel agencies from Premier Travel Service. Ms. Golikova shed more light on the events that had taken place in the operator’s office at the end of last week.
In particular, she confirmed that the news about the company’s default on its obligations to counter parties and customers had been received by the company’s staff from a line manager, Olga Rybina, rather than General Director. ‘We were so absorbed in work that we did not attach much importance to her words, being sure that it was a temporary measure and everything should normalize soon. Our management instructed us to advise agents on what should be done in this situation to help people who are not responsible for it…,’ Ms. Golikova said.
She also denied information that the company’s staff had taken away equipment from the office at the end of the week, saying that ‘the computers, tables, chairs are all in place, only the telephone does not work.’ However, according to BANKO’s information, key servers of the company and principal documentation had left the office before the beginning of the working week, and Premier’s management was even mixed up about where to look for certain papers.
Svetlana Golikova also said that the staff were losing patience due to absence of an official position of their management. ‘We want to know what will happen to us and when we will receive our salary.’ Official statement made to BANKO by Albert Potapov on October 19, after the call from the company’s staff member, is not likely to fully clarify the future of the company’s employees. Premier has failed to find money, and its activities in the future will be limited to collecting claims and negotiating extensions on payments. Chances are that after the whole scandal management has preferred the tactics of diplomatic exit from the market rather than disappearance.
Svetlana Gorbunova confirmed to BANKO that Premier’s staff were considering job offers from other companies, because ‘we have to earn our living somehow, many have family and children.’ Meanwhile she mentioned that ‘When we realized what was going on, it was a real shock for us: we were preparing for a new season, had 3,000 UAE catalogs printed, were actively visiting regions, participated in workshops, there were no signs of any problems until the last moment. We have an excellent team, a manager whom we are ready to follow… We performed quite well in this season – I don’t know the financials, but I can see the results in my area’.
Upon agreement with Albert Potapov, General Director of Premier Travel Service, on Monday, beginning from 11 a. m, BANKO’s operational team correspondents will be in the company’s office and report on the events that will take place over there.
