The committee asked that all possible measures be taken and that
"assistance be provided in the introduction of competition
structures," so as to leave areas already protected against
construction untouched. Already on November 3 Mr. Zhukov
distributed this new policy to the appropriate ministries and
departments - the MID, MVD, FSB, and so on, with a request that
they present their proposals.
It is evident, that such uneasiness and efficiency of high
officials on the Olympic Committee and in the government is
connected with the wave of protests against the destruction of
unique territories in Sochi National Park and the Caucuses Nature
Reserve in the process of constructing the Olympic complex.
Ecologists have a good chance of successfully appealing in court
the unlawful approval of a Federal Target Program, "Development of
Sochi as a Mountain Resort (2006-2014)" (FTP), which practically
settled on the barbaric construction without question as to the
environmental consequences. In addition to this, European Green
Parties have already added their voices to the protests. At their
congress this fall they agreed upon a disparaging resolution aimed
at the Russian government and the International Olympic Committee
(IOC).
Already next year the IOC should make their decision on the site
of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. One of the criteria for
election, adherence to the Olympic Charter, includes maintenance of
environmental protection conditions during preparation for, and
hosting of the games. Naturally, the mass statements of citizens
and social organizations, and the straight reversals in the IOC
cannot help but have an impact on the decision of the Olympic
Committee. Current information indicates that the IOC already
imparted to Russia, that if the protests against the construction
of the Olympic site don't stop, the likelihood of Sochi's victory
in the Olympic race will sharply decline.
Sochi's loss in the contest of candidate-cities would, for
Russian Olympic officials and the businessmen connected with them,
reveal quite clearly their pronounced financial characters - with a
loss of 191 billion rubles ($7.35 million). According to the FTP,
the financing of the Olympic site would decrease by exactly this
sum in the case that another host city is chosen. There is a
purpose for which to fight along with ecologists, and for that
matter with the forces of the MVD and FSB.
But to take lawful measures against world-wide protest from
environmental organizations is impossible. Article 31 of the
Constitution of the Russian Federation clearly states, "Citizens of
the Russian Federation have the right to peacefully assemble,
without arms, to conduct gatherings, meetings, demonstrations,
processions, and vigils." This means that yet again high-ranking
Olympic directors are asking that the government and "competitive
bodies" violate the Russian Constitution in pursuit of their
commercial interests.
And so you see that the government can easily solve the problem
of the protests from environmental organizations - it is necessary
only to recognize the inadmissibility of constructing the Olympic
site in the most valuable parts of Sochi National Park. A good
start would be to avert construction on the border of Caucuses
Biosphere Nature Reserve, which is included in the list of UNESCO
World Heritage Sites.