Izvestia: "Dmitry Kozak reports on preparations for the Olympics"
In May Russia will mark the 1000-day point on the road to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak reported to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that Russia has traversed the bigger part of the road.
Recently, "the capitals of host countries have begun celebrating these dates, both the 500- and the 1000-day points," Kozak said. "We also intend to hold celebrations across Russia from Vladivostok to Moscow. These events will promote Olympic sport and humanitarian values."
The 1000-day events will be held at 26 volunteer centres in 14 regions with the participation of 2,500 volunteers.
Is there anything to celebrate? Kozak assured Putin that the preparations are going according to plan. Now, in less than three years before the Olympics "we have covered about 70% of our objectives according to my own and expert evaluations. The actual physical construction is about 40% complete, but taking into account the preparatory work, including design, selection of land plots, compulsory land purchase and usage specification, the process is 70% complete. As of today, 131 venues and facilities have been built and commissioned. Another 182 venues and facilities are under construction."
In autumn and winter 2012, 19 international and national test championships in nine types of sports will be held here, including the alpine skiing world cup. Every facility of the mountain cluster is to be commissioned by the end of this year.
"I am convinced that we will accomplish everything next year. Every venue in the coastal and mountain clusters is to be completed," Kozak said.
Experts of the Coordinating Council of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that recently visited Sochi for yet another inspection were very impressed with the work done. "They believe that everything is on track despite the unprecedented scale of our project, the largest in Olympic history," Kozak noted.
"A foreign expert once said: 'We have seen the entire might of the Russian state.' We need to make sure that this might is complemented with high quality. I am asking you to pay particular attention to this," Putin advised Kozak.
He told his deputy to make sure it's possible to use these venues in the decades to come after the Olympic Games. "We need to ensure that all the Olympic venues ...are properly and effectively used. I would like to request that you look into this issue again and report back to me."
Yulia Shestoperova
