Madrid's Olympic bid under the spotlight as the IOC begins visit SHOWS: MADRID, SPAIN (MARCH 18, 2013) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPAIN PRIME MINISTER MARIANO RAJOY, SAYING: "I wanted to be here, at the beginning of these evaluation days, fundamentally to show the government's full support so Madrid can be chosen to host the Olympic and Paralympics games in 2020." 2. MADRID'S OLYMPIC BID FLAG 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPAIN PRIME MINISTER MARIANO RAJOY, SAYING: "What I have told the members of the IOC is something that you all know very well. We are ready and we are willing to organise an important event such as the Olympic games. We would proudly do it and with the absolute conviction that with the support of the people it would be a enormous success for Madrid, for Spain and for all the Olympic movement in general. Thank you very much, I leave you because it is extremely cold. Thanks." 4. IOC MEMBERS SEATED AT MEETING 5. RAJOY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ALEJANDRO BLANCO AND MADRID'S MAYOR ANA BOTELLA AT MEETING 6. CLOSE UP OF RAJOY 7. VARIOUS OF PRESIDENT OF THE EVALUATION COMMISSION CRAIG REEDIE AT MEETING STORY: Madrid's Olympic bid is under scrutiny as the International Olympic Commission began their four-day evaluation visit to the Spanish capital on Monday (March 18). Early in the morning the commission held a private meeting with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy at which the conservative leader expressed the Government's full support for the bid. "I wanted to be here, at the beginning of these evaluation days, fundamentally to show the government's full support so Madrid can be chosen to host the Olympic and Paralympics games in 2020," Rajoy said. Officials said hosting the Games would help to boost the economy, burnish Spain's image and unite citizens during tough times. Last year's London Games, seen as a resounding success despite some dire predictions, are held up as an example to follow rather than the 2004 edition in Athens, which left a legacy of crumbling venues and crippling debts. According to an initial estimate, a Madrid Olympics would cost 1.52 billion euros, plus another 150 million for services such as health and security, the bid team said. That compares with the estimated 11.2 billion euros (9.0 billion pounds) spent on the London Games and around 9.2 billion euros for Athens, far above early projections. Another issue the bid would have to address are whether a Madrid Games would have the backing of the whole nation at a time when high unemployment and the increasing popularity of independence movements in some regions have raised questions about national unity. In January Sports minister Jose Ignacio Wert cited a poll which he said showed that 80 percent of Spaniards supported the Madrid bid and he called the Games an "important national project" all citizens needed to be a part of. Minutes after holding a meeting with the IOC, Rajoy said the support of the population would boost Madrid's Olympic bid. "What I have told the members of the IOC is something that you all know very well. We are ready and we are willing to organise an important event such as the Olympic games. We would proudly do it and with the absolute conviction that with the support of the people it would be a enormous success for Madrid, for Spain and for all the Olympic movement in general," he said while battling the wind. Madrid is competing with Istanbul and Tokyo for the 2020 Games and is bidding for a third consecutive time after failing to land the 2012 and 2016 editions. According to the Madrid dossier, 28 of the 35 planned venues are already built, while around 40 percent of tickets will cost less than 40 euros. Later in the afternoon, the IOC will visit some of the venues included in Madrid's 2020 bid.