20 Aug 2014
Puy du Fou reveals plans for theme park in politically unstable Crimea region
BY Tom Anstey
Following reports that a Puy du Fou theme park coming to Russia could be in serious jeopardy thanks to EU/US sanctions, Puy du Fou founder and French politician Philippe de Villiers met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to sign deals to bring Puy du Fou not only to Moscow, but also to the disputed Crimea region on the Russia/Ukraine border.
Plans for the historical theme park in Moscow have been in the works for some time, however the Crimea plans are new and are bound to raise eyebrows in the disputed region.
Crimea – recently annexed by Russia from the Ukraine, leading to the 2014 dispute over sovereignty and control of the peninsula – will be home to one of the two historical theme parks, although any plans will come up against strict anti-Russian import sanctions put in place by the EU/US as a result of the Crimea dispute and Putin’s support of Ukrainian rebels on the Russia/Ukraine border.
"The sanctions are acts of war," said de Villiers speaking to Libération. "Cooperating is an act of peace. We are here to carry out an act of peace."
Billionaire Konstantin Malofeev has already given financial backing to the Moscow and Crimea projects, with the aim of opening both by 2017, though sanctions have been placed directly against the businessman, which is likely to hamper or slow plans as Puy du Fou looks to launch its brand on an international scale.
When contacted by AM2, Puy du Fou representatives were unavailable for comment.
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