GORKI, September 3 (RAPSI) – Russian culture minister Vladimir Medinsky said on Wednesday that his ministry will propose by October amendments to the legislation toughening penalties for travel agencies.

Travel agencies which violate the law should be held criminally liable, Medinsky said following a meeting on the outbound tourism chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. He didn't provide further details.

He said that the government approved the proposal to establish a registry of travel agencies instead of their licensing.

A number of Russian travel agencies went bankrupt in July and August, including the St. Petersburg-based Neva agency, which is one of the oldest in Russia.

Aviacharter-DV agency from Vladivostok was the last one that suspended its operations in late August.

After the travel market collapsed, Medvedev ordered the law enforcement agencies in early August to check activities of the travel agencies. 

“It’s unacceptable when travel agencies take no responsibility for anything and simply close when they don’t have enough customers," RIA Novosti quoted Medvedev as having said.

Russia's Investigative Committee has launched a probe into the alleged misconduct and fraud involving travel agencies which had gone bankrupt.

On August 29, a Moscow court has ordered to place in detention Dmitry Amunts, the deputy head of the Federal Tourism Agency. According to investigators, Amunts was a member of a criminal group that embezzled the funds from Mezhprombank in 2008-2009.