In the official expertise conclusion there are recommendations
concerning just insignificant changes of some program points, which
in case of general positive conclusion don't have obligatory power,
and there aren't any guarantees that they will be realized.
But for all that, the most ecologically dangerous projects
remained untouched were left without any changes, namely:
Hydroelectric power station cascade building on the river
Mzymta, express railway building Adler-Grushevaya Poliana,
sleigh-bobsleigh road and mountain Olympic village constructing on
the Caucasus State Natural Reserve front.
The Greenpeace expert Andrei Petrov expressed his disagreement
with approving of the FGP in especial opinion. Its content
corresponds absolutely to the public organizations position
presented in December 2006.
It's necessary to note that during the working process the moral
pressure was put upon the expert commission members, particularly
upon the Greenpeace representatives. This fact makes one suggest
that position change of some experts towards positive estimation of
FGP has happened for particular reason.
Let you remind that according the IOC (International Olympic
Committee) Evaluative commission announcement, Mr Xhikharu-Igaya,
one of the main problems of Sochi application is pendency of
ecological problems.
"The perseverance, with which the Russian officials prevent from
any changes in FGP and create conditions for sooner start of
constructing on the most valuable natural territories as objects
related with the Olympiad, as well as non related, may become the
main reason of probable loss of Sochi in the battle for right to
become the Olympic capital 2014." - declared Andrei Petrov, the
head of World Heritage Project. - We'll be obliged to inform IOC
and UNESCO about permanent threat for valuable nature complexes,
including those which are a part of world heritage object and its
buffer zones.
Because of the happening the Greenpeace consider necessary to
claim:
1. The Economic Development Ministry, responsible foe
elaboration and realization of FGP did nothing for decision of
ecological problems connected with preparing to probable holding of
Olympiad 2014 in Sochi city. The past state expertise also didn't
favor its decision.
2. The building of objects foreseen by FGP should be
realized out of natural territories, inviolate by economical
activity at present, as well as out of key habitats and vegetation
places of rare species of animals and plants. Among such
territories particularly are those belonging to reserve and
particularly secured zones of the Sochi National Park before zoning
changes by order of Russia Natural Resources Ministry (NRM) from
09.10.2006 №239, also all territories situated closer than 1km from
the Caucasus State Natural Biosphere Reserve frontiers,
sleigh-bobsleigh road with proper infrastructure, spring-board,
mountain Olympic village, express railway Adler -Grushevaya
Poliana, Hydroelectric power station cascade on the river Mzymta,
which constructing is planned on the indicated territories, must be
transferred into less valuable ones.
3. The order of NRM №239 09.10.2006from should be cancelled,
according which the Sochi National Park territories, allotted to
sport objects building, are excluded from reserve and particularly
secured zones.
4. The order of Russian Nature Inspectorate №355 from
27.09.2006 about approval of conclusion of the expert commission of
the state ecological examination of materials "The substantiation
of Sochi National Park functional zoning".
For the additional information you can apply to Russia Greenpeace by number(495) 626-50-45 to the chief of the particularly secured natural territories project Mikhail Kreindlin, the chief of World Heritage project Andrei Petrov or to press secretary Eugenia Belyakova.
The additional information:
1. According the low about ecological expertise Russia
Greenpeace organized and carried out the public ecological
expertise of FGP, which finished on April 10, 2007. At the end of
its work it conclusion was made about FGP realization
impermissibility and necessity of its updating (you can find the
conclusion text on the Russia Greenpeace web-site).
Legally the results of the public ecological expertise were
presented to the state expertise commission and were examined by
it. Unfortunately they weren't factored into.
2. The IOC Evaluative Commision report about the results of
inspection of the candidate cities to the title of winter Olympiad
2014 capital must be published on June 4, 2007.
3. The definitive decision about which of three
cities-pretenders will become the Olympiad 2014 capital, will be
accepted in July 2007 in Guatemala.