The State Duma lower house of the Russian Parliament approved Tuesday the first reading of the bill on State Corporation for building Sochi 2014 Olympic Games facilities, as recommended by the house Committee on Economic Policy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism.
Yelena Panina, deputy chairwoman of the committee and co-author of the bill said, “the main idea is to set up a single centre for building Olympic facilities of the 22nd winter Olympic Games and 11th winter Paralympic Games in Sochi in 2014”.
Itar-Tass reports that under the bill the Corporation will submit quarterly and annual reports on the spending and the results of checks by authorities to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
The Corporation is to be governed by an 11 member Observer Council, the Board and the Director General. A watchdog committee will be in charge of financial control.
Meanwhile some residents are afraid that an “Olympic Law” to be adopted by the Russian government to oversee the development of Sochi will render them helpless in protecting their homes, reports Russia Today.
House owners say they’ve been told by authorities to get ownership documents drawn up, but they are worried the process won’t be straightforward and their homes will be torn down.
According to Russia Today once the Olympic law has been approved, land identified for construction in the Sochi region will be valued at market prices and the owners will be offered financial compensation, alternative plots of land or new housing.
But lawyers say the new Olympic law could severely affect property owner’s rights.
Law experts say the new legislation will reduce the amount of time allowed for negotiating compensation from one year to just three months but it will also mean the government would not be required to notify the property owner in person if it wishes to confiscate private land, instead using the media to announce its intentions.
Interfax reports that President Putin has told government bodies involved in preparations for the Games that there is very little time left for building relevant infrastructure.
He said in Moscow Tuesday, “I would like to warn you from any illusions that we have plenty of time. Considering those large-scale tasks which are to be resolved, we are short of time. By 2013 or better yet by 2012 all facilities must not just (be) ready but also be tested by athletes at large international competitions”.
