The Investigative Committee will create a branch to deal with violations connected to the construction projects for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, the committee’s head, Alexander Bastrykin, said Friday.
The department will hire officers with experience in investigating financial and economic crimes, Bastrykin said, Interfax reported.
“We mustn’t allow embezzlement of state money,” he said.
The federal government has earmarked about $13 billion toward the games, but much of the financing is supposed to come from outside investors. The global economic crisis has deterred many private investors, but state-linked companies have stepped in to fill the gap.
In June, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said the government would not need to direct funds toward the Olympics in 2009 and 2010 because there was enough money from sponsors to cover expenses.
Amid worries that Russia is lagging in its Sochi Olympic preparations, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in early June ousted the head of the state company responsible for Olympics construction, Olimpstroi chief Viktor Kolodyazhny, and replaced him with Baltika’s founder, Taimuraz Bolloyev.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.