A Russian deputy prime minister said the country's environmentalists are aiming to "trash" the 2014 Olympics in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi instead of taking "a constructive stance".
Russia's independent environmentalists have been protesting against developers' plans for Sochi, warning they could damage the unique landscape of the region, where some territories are protected as natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
"I call on all participants of non-governmental organizations to take a constructive stance. It would be more beneficial, both for the environment and for the professional objectives they are pursuing," Dmitry Kozak said.
The high-ranking official said that a recent report prepared by inspectors from international NGOs also pointed out that Russian environmentalists are uncooperative and obstruct preparations for the 2014 Olympics.
"Instead of solving real ecological issues and proposing measures of compensation these people are maintaining an absolutely uncooperative stance, something international experts from global non-governmental organizations have pointed out," Kozak said.
Sochi won the right to host the Olympics at an IOC session in Guatemala in July 2007 after a close race with South Korea's Pyeongchang and Austria's Salzburg.
Russia has never hosted the Winter Olympics and Moscow's hosting of the Summer Games in 1980 was marred by a U.S.-led boycott involving more than 60 countries.
MOSCOW, March 12
RIA Novosti
