Tromsoe is Norway’s candidate city for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, but if it becomes the host city security won’t be high on its list of priorities.
The country has budgeted far less in its bid for security than Athens and Vancouver, the host cities for the 2004 and 2010 Olympic Games.
Kjell-Age Gotvassli, head of Tromsoe’s evaluation group, said that a small country like Norway will be able to get away with less expenses for security than larger countries.
He added that it was possible that some security expenses will be included in the budgets of the police and military.
Although he could not give an exact amount, he said security related expenses could be around NOK 400 and 500 million, about half of what Vancouver has budgeted on security measures for the 2010 Games. Tor Laergreid, head of Tromsoe’s bid committee, said, “there is only one road which goes into the city and this contributes to the fact that there is not as many security measures that have to be taken into account. It is completely realistic for us to budget a lower amount”.
