Head of regional consumer protection watchdog held under investigation in Syamozero tragedy


The Head of the Karelia’s Office of the Federal consumer protection authority, Rospotrebnzdzor, Anatoly Kovalenko has been detained during the investigation into death of children during a boating trip on Lake Syamozero.  Investigators see signs of a crime under part 3 of Article 293 of the RF Penal Code (negligence) in his actions.

According to the investigators, in 2015, the regional office of Rospotrebnadzor and state executive authorities repeatedly received reports on multiple breaches of law while organizing summer camps and other recreational activities for minors by managers of OOO Park-Hotel Syamozero. Among other things there were violations of sanitation requirements to the keeping and operation of stationary summer camps. Despite this, Kovalenko and his subordinates took no measures during the year against managers of OOO Park-Hotel Syamozero (suspension of operation or shutting down the camp). Instead the authorities repeatedly issued necessary permissions to the managers of the Park-Hotel for further operation. The investigators believe that such attitude and improper discharge of duties by Anatoly Kovalenko and other officials became one of the reasons for the tragedy.

The investigators are requesting a court today to remand in custody three of the accused of safety breach: director of OOO Park-Hotel Syamozero Yelena Reshetova, her deputy Vadim Vinogradov and instructor Valery Krupnodershchikov.

At the moment necessary investigative operations are ongoing to find out all the details of the crime and gather evidence. The Karelia Directorate of the Emergency Ministry and its division, the State Small Vessels Inspectorate, and other institutions have been raided. The investigators confiscated objects and documents relevant for the investigation. Identification process has been finished while forensic medical inquiries are underway to find out cause of death.

Head of Media Relations                                                                                                                  V.I. Markin

21 June 2016 13:18

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