Environmentalists have been protesting against development plans for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games because they could damage the “unique” landscape of the North Caucasus where some territories are protected as natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Authorities said several sports facilities could be moved and new roads and power lines built, changes that could increase the cost of the project.
In its mission to protect and enhance the environment around Sochi, the organizing committee announced it hosted Wednesday the first formal meeting of the Public Ecological Council under the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee.
Sochi 2014 and a series of senior environmental experts that make up the council brought together bodies from respected NGO’s such as Greenpeace Russia and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), environmental agencies and academic experts, for an inaugural meeting in Moscow.
Sochi 2014 said the meeting furthered open dialogue with key environmental organizations to ensure Sochi 2014 “will deliver a positive and enduring environmental legacy”.
“Environmental guidelines and recommendations are to be developed and further discussed as part of the preparation and planning of the 2014 Games that fully respects the environment”, said a Sochi 2014 media release.
As the meeting was successful the council is to meet again in June, with the final outcome of the dialogue process being the development of a clear plan of action for Sochi 2014’s organizing committee to deliver “one of the most environmentally-sound Games in history, protecting and enhancing the unique environment around Sochi and the Krasnodar region”.
Meanwhile, the head of the Russian corporation overseeing the construction of sport and infrastructure facilities for Sochi 2014, Semyon Vainshtok, has resigned.
Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said Thursday he had signed a resolution to relieve Vainshtok of his duties as head of Olympstroi at his own request.
Viktor Kolodyazhny, mayor of Sochi, has been appointed to replace Vainshtok.
Although Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak told reporters it was a planned replacement and Vainshtok resigned as he planned to retire, RIA Novosti reports that observers say Vainshtok had resigned over major problems facing the project. They also said his resignation would send a worrying signal to an International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation which will arrive in Sochi next week.
World Wildlife Fund head in Russia, Igor Chestin, said Vainshtok’s departure could cause delays in the Olympic construction projects. Ivan Blokov, campaign director of Greepeace Russia said Vainshtok quit to avoid responsibility for the unrealistic project. He said, “I think he (Vainshtok) quite after realizing that he is not able to build Olympic venues on funds allocated and within the time frame set”.
