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Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon!
Question: Congratulations to everyone. The whole country has been up all night celebrating the victory. What does it mean to Russia to win this Olympic bid and who deserves the credit?
Vladimir Putin: I also want to congratulate all the sports fans in Russia and every citizen on this happy and important event. Our city Sochi has won its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
This is without a doubt not only a tribute to Russian sport but also a recognition of our country's merits. It is an acknowledgement of our growing capabilities, first and foremost in the economic and social spheres. We have certainly won the support of one of the world's most prestigious and independent international organisations, the International Olympic Committee.
The choice of Sochi and preparations for the Olympics will certainly be a powerful incentive for the development of the south of Russia. I am absolutely convinced that these Olympics will be conducted according to the highest possible standards. But even more importantly, while preparing for the Olympics we will have to resolve a large number of infrastructure problems, such as, the creation of highways, communications systems, and resolving environmental problems. And all this will be useful for millions and millions of our citizens before the Olympics and, of course, after the Olympics for decades to come.
Congratulations to all of us once again!
All the best.
July 5, 2007, Vnukovo-2, Moscow