15 December 2013, 19:58
French MFA: President Francois Hollande will not come to Sochi Olympic Games
French President Francois Hollande will not attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi. This was announced by Laurent Fabius, the head of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), in his interview to the Radio Station "Europe 1".
"The plans of the top-ranking French officials do not include the intention to go to Sochi," the edition "RFI" quotes the French Foreign Minister. At the same time, the Minister wished "great success to the Games," the "The Voice of Russia" notes.
Let us remind you that on December 13, it became known that Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves would not attend the Olympic Games in Sochi. He mentioned his "tough schedule" as the official reason of his refusal to come, the Estonian "Delfi" reports.
Meanwhile, the Polish chief executives President Bronislaw Komorowski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk will not attend the opening of the Olympic Games. However, they asked the media not to call their decision a boycott, the "Vedomosti" reports.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that earlier, German President Joachim Gauck announced his refusal to participate in the Olympic celebrations in Sochi. The German Olympic Sports Confederation has stated that the President's decision is not a boycott; however, the leading European media called the Joachim Gauck's action "an act of conscience."
Apart from top-ranking officials of several states, Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission, EU Commissioner for Justice, refused to come to the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. She has explained her decision by persecution of sexual minorities by the Russian authorities.
