Euro-2012 News Online

Having finished his inspection trip to both the host-countries of Europe Championship final 2012, UEFA President stated that Poland’s preparation to host the final is going with normal pace. M. Platini came from Kiev to Warsaw for two days where he claimed he noticed no serious problems in Poland. While in Ukraine, UEFA President expressed his confidence that the former Soviet republic will cope with all its hardships and meet the deadline.

Both the countries dropped seriously behind with starting construction of stadiums, hotels, highways and the rest of infrastructure for Euro-2012. Europe goes on with its prejudice that Ukraine and Poland aren’t capable to organize the Championship at a worthy level. However Mr. Platini continues expressing his full confidence and support for both these countries.

UEFA President Michel Platini summed up the results of his inspection visit to Ukraine and Poland which are getting ready to host Euro-2012.

A wide range of hot issues has been discussed at the meeting of UEFA delegation with local organizing committees’ officials. In particular its political and economic situation and infrastructure development in both the countries pretending to host Euro-2012 matches, states UEFA’s official declaration.

“Economic crisis made the goal harder for Euro-2012 hosts, and M. Platini’s visit to Ukraine and Poland was of extraordinary importance”, - UEFA press-agency cites Michel Platini. “We’ve got the last information in every key aspect regarding Europe Championship final organization. Now the ultimate evaluation of all the 12 cities will be carried out shortly. The choice is going to be made at the meeting of UEFA Executive Committee which will be held in Bucharest on May 13^th“.

I thank to Ukrainian and Polish Governments and also football associations of both countries for their cooperation and fruitful meetings, notes M. Platini summing up his visit.

Wroclaw municipal government’s signed agreement to build stadium for hosting Europe Football Championship matches of 2012, which is being jointly organized by Poland and Ukraine.

As TVN 24 reports, the stadium costing $ 220 mln is going to be erected by Polish and Greek consortium with Mostostal Warszawa SA Company in the head.
In accordance with the contract, consortium pledged to construct the stadium in 21 months and gave 25-year term guarantee for the stadium’s cover and front, and also 10-year guarantee for other materials.

The contractors started their work on Tuesday right after signing contract.
UNIAN informs that Wroclaw authorities decided to allocate additionally about $ 70 mln for the stadium erection after it appeared that participants of the bids, held by the city asked for their service far more money than it was previewed by the local government.

UNIAN information: Wroclaw is one of the 4 main cities in Poland to host Euro-2012 matches.

According to the stadium design in Wroclaw which is planned to be built in 14 hectares territory, it’ll seat 44.000 fans. Besides casino, disco, restaurant for 1600 visitors and office-conference facility will operate at the stadium’s territory.

In December, 2008 clean up activities before stadium erection were finished. The heading work was conducted by Wakoz Company, owing to which major building works had to begin in January 2009, as scheduled.

Lugansk-Donetsk highway is overloaded and its present condition doesn’t meet European quality standards. Lugansk authorities claim of its need to be urgently reconstructed before Euro-2012.

It’s supposed that those fans arriving by air to Lugansk for Euro-2012 will be transferred to Donetsk by bus. At the same time, in accordance with UEFA requirements for the highways quality, transfer time from Lugansk airport to the stadium in Donetsk shouldn’t exceed  80 minutes which supposes the speed no less than 130 km per hour.

Lugansk Regional Council claims that highway reconstruction designs have been developed earlier. However the project failed because of the lack of financing. Nonetheless offers to reconstruct the highway are still coming - Chinese businessmen have been eager and  still propose to reconstruct Lugansk-Donetsk highway.  
At the same time specific sources of financing haven’t yet been defined but the reconstruction work is planned to be started this year so that by 2012 Lugansk-Donetsk highway would completely satisfy to the European standards.

Besides, the city government developed draft agreement between Ministry of Transport of Ukraine and Lugansk Regional Council over Lugansk International airport reconstruction.

In accordance with the document, airport facilities will be reconstructed from the State budget. The list of objects is going to be prepared by professionals of core agencies in Regional Council and Regional State Administration. In general, the issue’s about take-off landing strips reconstruction. It’s supposed that after their updating the facilities will pass into the State ownership. However regional enterprise of Lugansk International Airport can further rent airport complex for free.

On April, 14 UEFA President Michel Platini started his two-day business trip to Ukraine. Together with Mr. Platini there came to Kiev David Taylor - UEFA Secretary General, Jacques Lambert - Euro-2012 commissioner, Martin Kallen - Euro-2012 director, Philippe Margraff - UEFA business manager, Giorgio Marquetti - UEFA Competitions Department manager, Steve Aeschlimann - Service Department manager, Khaimo Shirgie - manager of Euro-2012 operating activities subsidiary, and Alexander Furtua, executive manager of UEFA Media Technologies Company, as informs FFU.

An extended session will take place at Football House on Wednesday, April 15, involving the UEFA officials and Ukrainian representatives, in particular - Grigory Surkis, President of Football Federation of Ukraine, Markian Lubkivsky - Championship director, vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Ivan Vasyunik and Ilya Shevliak - head of Euro-2012 Coordination bureau. 

Presentation of organization process for hosting Europe Football Championship final 2012 in Ukraine will be shown at the meeting, in particular host-cities’ infrastructure. Besides, list of other urgent issues related to Euro-2012 is also on the agenda.