Construction firms to be fined for Sochi Olympic delays

Sochi, March 30 (IANS/RIA Novosti)

Construction firms that are behind schedule in delivering Sochi Olympic facilities will have to pay $65,000 per day in fines, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak announced.

The warning comes a month after deputy Olympic committee chief Akhmed Bilalov was fired over delays with the RusSki Gorki Olympic ski-jump complex, a facilty that had been slated for completion in 2011 but is now not expected to be ready until July.

“The penalty for not making deadlines in completing Olympic facilities will be 2 million rubles ($65,000) per day and all corresponding addendums will be signed by all the companies that have already had warnings,” Kozak said Friday.

The Fisht Olympic Stadium, which will only host the opening and closing ceremonies, is still under construction because there is no competition deadline. With a year to go, all competition facilities except for two hockey venues have hosted international test events.

Much of the Olympic Park infrastructure is yet to be completed including the Olympic village athlete accommodation and transport networks.

Russia’s first Winter Olympic Games will be staged in the Black Sea resort next February.