Olympic festival village unveiled in Tbilisi

The Olympic village for the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival – set to host 4000 athletes over a week of competition – was opened near Tbilisi Sea on Monday.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at the opening ceremony the location - built to accommodate competitors from almost 50 countries - would offer participants of the Festival "all necessary conditions” for preparation.

An apartment in an Olympic village building unveiled on Monday. Photo by Youth Olympic Festival Facebook page.

The village is a sprawling complex of nine apartment buildings, a five-star hotel, sport center and recreational zone over 50 square kilometers. 

The view of the Olympic village. Photo by Sports Ministry's Facebook page. 

The government has concluded talks with the investing Hualing Group to hand over eight of the buildings to internally displaced families after the conclusion of the Festival, with further agreements pending.

PM Garibashvili announces former football player Levan Kobiashvili as Olympic village mayor on Monday. Photo by Youth Olympic Festival Facebook page.

Popular Georgian football player and former captain of the national team Levan Kobiashvili was presented by Garibashvili on Monday on the symbolic position of mayor of the village, handing over the mayor’s medal to the former Schalke 04 player.

The head of the government also commented on the scale of the event and added he was "confident” the Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sport and the government would host the Festival on the expected level.

The Festival is set to commence in Tbilisi on July 26 and involve nine sporting codes including judo, tennis, cycling and basketball.