NEWSLINK: The culture of corruption: Russians pay, but they don’t like it
[“The culture of corruption: Russians pay, but they don’t like it” – Washington Post – Timothy Frye – February 17, 2014 – http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/02/17/the-culture-of-corruption-russians-pay-but-they-dont-like-it-2/]
The Washington Post features Timothy Frye, Columbia University political scientist and Director of the Harriman Institute for Russia, Eurasian and East European Studies, writing on Russia’s culture of corruption:
A central theme of the Sochi Olympics has been the cost. When applying to hold the Olympic Games in 2007, President Vladimir Putin noted that the total cost of hosting the games would be around $12 billion, or roughly 50 percent more than the 2004 games in Vancouver. This figure has flown north of $50 billion, and while cost over-runs on the Olympic Games are common, the more than four-fold increase is large by comparison to past Games. Many point to corruption. Inflated costs, kickbacks to state officials to secure contracts and the use of generous subsidies to politically connected firms have all been the subject of discussion. The fact that the head of the state agency in charge of construction at the Games has been replaced four times in six years – with each dismissal followed by charges of embezzlement and abuse of office – doesn’t inspire confidence.
In many respects, this is not unusual for capital-intensive infrastructure projects in Russia. …
Click here for full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/02/17/the-culture-of-corruption-russians-pay-but-they-dont-like-it-2/