Sochi Scene - Putin Warns of "Unacceptable" Practices; Reaction to Foiled Terror Plot

Putin Warns of "Unacceptable" Business Practices in Sochi

Newly installed Russian president Vladimir Putin paid a visit to Sochi on Friday, warning of "unacceptable" business practices related to Olympic construction.

"I know the desire of some artists, both customers and contractors, today in the final stages of construction to increase prices," he said about rising construction prices in remarks posted on the Kremlin website.

"This is unacceptable."

Putin made the trek to Sochi to inspect construction for the Games.

"All obligations must be fulfilled on time and in accordance with previous agreements on price," he added.

He also mentioned the need for upcoming test events to be conducted satisfactorily, noting "every aspect" of the Games will be tested including "a smile and friendly attitude to the experts and athletes."

"Please take great care to organize these events, to work out mechanisms of interaction between all actors involved in the preparation and holding of the Olympic Games – governments, municipal utilities and road services, rescue, law enforcement, medical professionals and volunteers."

Putin said all construction related to the Games is going "smoothly enough," adding "we should always look critically at our work."

The president’s visit to the 2014 host city could be seen to underscore the priority he will give the Olympics in his third term. Shortly after being sworn into office on May 7, Putin met with IOC president Jacques Rogge in his first official meeting as Russian president. The Associated Press reports that his remarks in Sochi were televised.

Reaction to Foiled Attack

Security sources in Abkhazia aren’t certain aterror attack planned for the 2014 Olympics but foiled by Russian authorities should be linked to the breakaway region of Georgia.

An unnamed security source withthe region’s "Security Council" told Russia’s Kommersant newspaper "this version is being checked, but it is still premature to [be] speaking about the results."

One Georgian website went so far as to call the report "Russian propaganda".

Speaking to USA Today, Kathryn Stoner-Weiss, a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, warned that more trouble may be looming for Sochi.

"This is probably the start of extreme potential problems in the area with the Winter Olympics in Sochi," Stoner-Weiss said.

"It's almost the worst part of Russia to put the Games. It's not so much because of Georgia, but the Caucasus in general; the North Caucasus region, is volatile."

Written by Ed Hula III.

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