Olympic land row tests mayoral voters

Article reports on mayoral elections being held April 2009 in the southern resort town of Sochi – which will host the 2014 winter Olympics. Writer says that the election will test the strength of Russia’s anti-Kremlin opposition, which has been gathering force as the country’s economic crisis deepens in the provinces.

BBC News, 27.4.09: Pro-Putin mayor elected in Sochi http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8019918.stm

Deutsche Welle, 26.4.09: Russia's olympic town of Sochi elects new major http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4207274,00.html

ESO: Background information: Georgia unrest poses problems for Sochi 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/georgia-unrest-poses-problems-for-sochi-2014/

ESO: Background information: Pro-Kremlin party wins majority in Russian regional polls http://www.europeansources.info/record/pro-kremlin-party-wins-majority-in-russian-regional-polls/

BBC News, 24.4.09: Russian democracy under scrutiny in Sochi http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8017584.stm

---