The Olympic venues and all the necessary infrastructure is at a high stage of readiness. We are determined to organize a real celebration in 2014, a festival of sport, deserving of its unique mission: to unite people around the world with really significant values - a healthy lifestyle, tolerance and equality.

l not be possible to deal with every issue in one go. But we are prepared to adopt a thorough approach and show firmness of will in our actions, and actively to engage the regions and the local authorities in the work we are doing. The example set by the Paralympians is inspiring and giving hope to millions of people. Each step that you take, and every success you enjoy, deserves the deepest respect, and we will always get behind you and give you our wholehearted support.

Staging major international events such as the Universiade in Kazan and the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi is increasing the popularity of sport in Russia.

“We began our bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi with an exciting concept, great ambitions and a huge desire to stage the Games. Today, we can now see a dramatic transformation taking place, with new facilities emerging across Sochi. We are using the opportunity of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to enhance the infrastructure of Russia’s southern region – leaving a real legacy for the area”.

“The Persian Leopard was native to many parts of the Northern Caucuses until the 1950s – we are currently undertaking programs to re-introduce this animal to the area. If we are successful, it will be a sign of the positive impact caused by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi”.

“We never held back on financing the construction of Olympic venues or any other Games related projects and we never will. We are not planning to make savings on ecological and environmental protection.

All our actions are based on the principle of openness and maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the public as well as cooperation and interaction with non-Governmental organizations. To date, this dialogue has proved to be very effective in Olympic construction. At this stage it is important to mark the ongoing improvement of the interactions between the Government and environmental NGOs – this is one of the most important aspects of our environmental protection plan”.

“Preparations for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi are totally and completely on schedule. Today there is no cause for concern that any aspect or portion of the timetable will be violated”.

“At present approximately 7,500 people are working on the construction of Olympic venues, this is going to considerably increase in the future. Preparation for Russia’s first ever Winter Games in 2014 will involve large orders for construction materials, cars, equipment, engineering and project services”.

“We are preparing a major international event and celebration for the whole Russian nation. We cannot allow this celebration to be affected by any problems for even one Russian citizen. Problems are not permitted. The Sochi 2014 project is not only the preparation and delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is also about developing one of the most important regions in the Russian Federation”.

“As far as the Olympic Games are concerned, the International Olympic Committee, rather than politicians, makes such decisions. I hope very much that as was in previous decades, the International Olympic Committee's activities will not be politicised. This is the first thing.

Despite the attempts of some Western politicians to defend their clients in the Georgian leadership who launched a bloody aggression against South Ossetia, people are becoming convinced that incumbent Georgian leaders are responsible for this aggression and the bloodshed that took place in the North Caucasus and its southern sector, South Ossetia. I believe this trend will become more pronounced.

This is why I see no reason to revise the International Olympic Committee's decisions to organise and hold the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.

We have allocated financial resources for conducting the required preparatory work. These allocations will not be reduced; and we will implement all our plans.

At the same time, I would like to stress once again that most allocations will be spent on the regional infrastructure's development, rather than Olympic-facility construction. The population of the Krasnodar Territory, Sochi residents, as well as holiday visitors from all Russian regions will be able to use that infrastructure in summer and winter”.