11:14, 3 July 2008

Russian government to move some Sochi Olympic sites to other places

The locations of some Olympic objects to be built in Sochi will be changed. This was stated by Russian Premier Vladimir Putin at a sitting on the issue of observing ecological requirements at preparation for 2014 Olympics.

We remind you that earlier the UNEP (UN Environment Programme) had supported the stand of the World Wildlife Foundation and Greenpeace of Russia, who declared the necessity to change the location of the sledge-bobsleigh complex and the Olympic Village from the Grushevoy Ridge to alternative locations.

The list of removed objects includes, as Mr Putin has noted today, the sledge-bobsleigh track, the mountain village and the water intake in Sochi. "I think it necessary to relocate these objects to other places on coordination with the IOC," the ITAR-TASS quotes the Premier as saying.

According to Mr Putin, should at construction of these objects the ecological system be disturbed, it will become unrepairable. The "Interfax" reports that the head of the government ordered to outgo, when erecting the objects, from three criteria - quality, cost and deadlines.