Euro 2012

The euphoria which gripped Ukraine and Poland on April 18, 2007 after winning the right to host Europe’s football championship, EURO 2012, has come to nothing.

A year after the triumphal hugs and kisses, the two countries’ preparations have progressed so poorly that Football Federation of Ukraine President Hryhoriy Surkis, and Football Federation of Poland President Michal Listkiewicz had to explain the situation in detail to the Union of European Football Association’s executive committee in last March.

The National Agency to Prepare and Host EURO 2012 was established to coordinate all state structures in Ukraine. Its chair, Yevhen Chervonenko, constantly criticizes the Cabinet of Ministers for ignoring his organization’s problems.

“I consider the level of financial support for the Agency by the government to be embarrassing,” he said of the EURO 2012 preparation funding. “The government scoffs not at me (I don’t care — I’m a self-sufficient person), it scoffs at Ukraine,” adding,”I have been spending my own personal money to maintain the agency. The cars, computers in the office – everything was bought with my own money. I have spent and spend without regret.” (more…)

A match-fixing scandal and a complacent attitude towards construction may undermine Poland’s ability to co-host Euro 2012

There is a rumour going around that Poland-Ukraine was awarded the rights to host Euro 2012 only by embittered Lennart Johansson acolytes looking to screw up Michel Platini’s reign. It is, almost certainly, nothing more than mischief-making, and yet there was a strange pause as Platini opened the envelope that could, with hindsight, be construed as horror. On that momentous day in Cardiff, west seemed to offer an arm to east and talk of the football family didn’t seem quite so hopelessly utopian, but since then optimism has withered. There are always scare stories ahead of major events, but recent events in Poland suggest these have more substance than most.

Securing the tournament was Michal Listkiewicz’s finest hour, finer even than running the line in the 1990 World Cup final (a photograph of which still adorns the back of his business card). As the president of the Polish football federation (PZPN) spoke about delivering a great victory for the family of Slavs, it was possible even to forget for a moment that it isn’t just his hair that has appeared to be made of Teflon. (more…)

Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk declared a donation from the national budget - the one-third of the whole building cost - for those cities that organize football Euro Championship. Confederation of Polish Employers claims that it is a good step in a good direction.

The present-day press conference of the Prime Minister showed that all the preparation to the EURO 2012 are conducted on schedule. However, UEFA has recently criticized our previous achievements and rebuked an organizational chaos with too much politics’ influence on championship’s preparation - claim CPE representatives.

On many occasions, Confederation Polish Employers showed the borders that had hindered proper arrangements of EURO 2012 and presented posibilities of their solution. CPE also indicated that the wrong building code will just elongate the completion date of the whole investment (sometimes their formal arrangement occupies a half of the whole investment’s time). (more…)

To build a stadium for 30-40 thousand people two, or two and half a year is enough- said in the interview of ‘Rzeczpospolita’ Heinz Palme, the chairman of company ‘Austria przy Pilce’ which coordinates preparations of Austria to Euro 2008 finals.

– Every organizer of championships has a similar problem as Poland. We also have elections and changes of government. In Klagenfurt we managed to begin works at the last moment because first environmentalists protested, politicians quarreled and then documentation concerning a tender leaked out to the press and a court had to intervene. UEFA demands building of stadium for one year before the  sports event-  we can work longer on its infrastructure- but it’s understanding. (more…)

We need Polish Beckenbauer as soon as it’s possible- it’s the conclusion from the meeting concerning organization of Euro 2012. Franz Beckenbauer, in the past a brilliant footballer, was a chief who led preparations for the World Cup 2006 in Germany.

In the conference which was organized in Warsaw ‘Euro 2012- a chance or a risk?’ representatives of Austria and Switzerland shared their experiences in preparing to next year’s European championships with representatives of Polish municipal government. They discussed preparations to Euro 2012. Conclusions weren’t optimistic…

-I think that we are able to organize championships. It isn’t so complicated, but it seems that no one does nothing. So far we haven’t done a plan. Instead of talking by a few months we should decide who and when has to do something. This is the base- claims well-known enthusiast for football, former premier and at present a chairman of Pekao SA bank Jan Krzysztof Bielecki. – What is important is that we have to appoint a chief of the whole project who will have fixed budget. There is a team in Poland but no one knows if this team has funds. With each month this project is more and more at risk. Someone has to start taking decision. We need Polish Beckenbauer- added Bielecki. (more…)

The industrial heart of eastern Ukraine was glowing in a beautiful sunset as local heroes Shakhtar Donetsk took on their arch-rivals Dinamo Kiev.

Yet the Soviet-era stadium looked small and a bit too old-fashioned for Shakhtar Donetsk, one of the country’s top teams.

There are concerns that Ukraine may not be ready in time for the Uefa European Football Championships in 2012, which it will co-host with Poland. It will be the most prestigious project that Ukraine has ever co-hosted, and it is expected to attract thousands of fans. But there are fears that the politicians here do not have their eye on the ball. Donetsk is one of four host cities in Ukraine. All of the venues were built by the communists, and they are well past their best, needing to be replaced or renovated. Ukraine has faced one political crisis after another and now the country is preparing for a general election. “The most difficult thing will be to change the attitude, to make the authorities look in the direction of football and start paying attention to the country’s infrastructure,” says Dmitriy Chigrinsky, a player for Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukraine. “It’s no secret that our country needs serious modernisation,” Dmitriy adds.
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It left only 1800 days to the greatest event in the history of Poland. Although decision concerning organization of the European Football Championships in Poland and Ukraine was taken four months ago, the Government still hasn’t taken a list of investment which have to be carried out till the opening of Euro 2012, and also hasn’t prepared package of legal-organization changes which introduction in life is essential for Poland so as not to bring shame in the European arena…

Euro 2012 is not only a chance for historic sports success(Poles so far haven’t played in the European Football Championship finals) but also a chance for the promotion of the country as well as a chance for binging forward the realization of some cultural backwardness. After four months since granting the right to organize football championships it seems, that for the government institutions this decision was like a bolt out of the blue. Although nearly the next day after announcing the name of countries - finals host government and parliamentary policymakers announced bringing forward the realization of strategic investments, and no binding decisions has been taken till the middle of August. – There is no doubt that organization of Euro 2012 will initiate many positive processes which results can be perceptible for a long time. The motion, improvement in the realization of projects, simplifications of some procedures connected with realization of great investments are things which we need- says Wladyslaw Ortyl, deputy minister of regional development. (more…)

Does UEFA take away the opening match Euro 2012 from Poland? It may be possible. According to experts building a National Stadium in Warsaw even till the middle of 2011 is now practically impossible. And this is the only place in Poland where the European Championships could start. Forecasts concerning our preparations to Euro 2012 look more and more gloomy. According to experts Warsaw will not be ready with a building of the National Stadium for 55 thousand spectators where the European Championships are planned to be inaugurated. It is said that the opening match and also the closing of Euro 2012 will be given to Ukraine. In Poland only group matches will take place. How is it possible?

Poland undertook to build the National Stadium till the middle of 2010. Elżbieta Jakubiak, the Minister for Sport, admitted recently that it is impossible to carry out this contract and that is why she wants to ask UEFA to extend the time limit for one year. But the problem is that Jakubiak is not a side with whom UEFA can negotiate. – The contract for the organization of championships was signed by both the president of the Polish Football Association and by the head of the Ukrainian Football Federation. And only these two men can renegotiate this contract. But from what I know it appears that so far no one from our association spoke about the extension of time limits not only with UEFA but also with Ukrainian Football Federation without which we can do nothing – says Barłomiej Marks, coordinator Euro 2012 in PZPN (the Polish Football Association). (more…)

Does UEFA take away the opening match Euro 2012 from Poland? It may be possible. According to experts building a National Stadium in Warsaw even till the middle of 2011  is now practically impossible. And this is the only place in Poland where the European Championships could start. 

Forecasts concerning our preparations to Euro 2012 look more and more gloomy. According to experts Warsaw will not be ready with a building of the National Stadium for 55 thousand spectators where the European Championships are planned to be inaugurated. It is said that the opening match and also the closing of Euro 2012 will be given to Ukraine. In Poland only group matches will take place. How is it possible?

 Poland undertook to build the National Stadium till the middle of 2010. Elżbieta Jakubiak, the Minister for Sport, admitted recently that it is impossible to carry out this contract and that is why she wants to ask UEFA to extend the time limit for one year. But the problem is that Jakubiak is not a side with whom UEFA can negotiate. – The contract for the organization of championships  was signed by both the president of the Polish Football Association and by the head of the Ukrainian Football Federation. And only these two men can renegotiate this contract. But from what I know it appears that so far no one from our association spoke about the extension of time limits not only with UEFA but also with Ukrainian Football Federation without which we can do nothing – says Barłomiej Marks, coordinator Euro 2012 in PZPN (the Polish Football Association). (more…)

Entrusting of the organization of European football championship in 2012 to Poland and Ukraine caused a great excitement in both countries but also a huge amount of problems which have to be solved positively so that the event could take place in five years successfully – writes Tygodnik Kibica.

As the present column take cares mainly of the cases from abroad, the readers will find a doze of information about initiatives and enterprises of Ukraine in the process of preparations for Euro.

Above all, it has to be noted that the initiator of the idea – the chairman of Ukraine’s Football Federation, Grigorij Surkis – is considered as a hero in his own country and he’s not only the hero of this year but of the whole period of five years. “The Capitaliste” – a magazine published in Ukrainian – emphasizes in the article titled “An Architect of a Five-Year Renaissance” that a few years ago it was hard to even dream about something like European Championship, an now it is an obvious fact. And it is not only about the sport aspect of the event, but also, or rather above all, it’s about huge changes in different fields of life that will take place in Ukraine during preparations for the championship. (more…)

Euro 2012 in danger. Warsaw and Gdansk will not manage to build the stadiums in time. Without the special act we won’t prepare the championship on time. - UEFA can’t take us the Euro back - warns the chairman of PZPN, Michał Listkiewicz.

As we know, no national stadium will have been built in Warsaw by 2010, although European football authorities demand it – we have to renegotiate the contract. We will ask UEFA to let us complete construction a year before the first match – admitted the Minister of Sport, Elżbieta Jakubiak, yesterday. (more…)

If 10-million Portugal, which is not that rich, managed to do it, then we can do it as well. Especially that they prepared whole championship and we have to organize just a half of it - promised the Prime Minister Kaczyński in April, just after Poland had been chosen a host of the Euro Championship 2012.

However, the government hasn’t done anything so far. The place for national stadium in Warsaw has not been appointed but the tender for design was invalidated because there is no time for this. It is already known that the capital and Gdańsk will not manage to transfer the objects into use by the second half of 2010 as it was promised to UEFA. Wroclaw declares to be on time but even there nothing is being built, there isn’t even any design of the stadium. Just in Poznan the city stadium has been renovated for a few years. (more…)

Euro 2012 threaten. They will not build stadium on time warsaw and gdansk. Without emergency statute Poland not build in time. It can get back euro - we UEFA chairman warns polish football union - Michał Listkiewicz.

It’s known already, that national stadium will not become in 2010 in warsaw , though european soccer authorities demand it. We must - agreement talk. We will ask, in order to it has allowed to complete structure on year before first match UEFA yesterday elizabeth has conceded minister of sport - Jakubiak. (more…)

It obeys agency of internal safety in published in internet before capability of terrorist take-over during soccer artistry of europe to 2012 in poland report and on ukraine. Can be tied about so wide international interest with boost of potential risk of terrorist take-over on territory of state of host - performance it write in placed on internet part from activity of agency for first half of the year 2007 - report ABW

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After admitting Poland and Ukraine Euro 2012 there were many promises, but work have moved from hoof none, because politicians have important cases today. The goverment occupy instead of wanted acts, it has gone on vacations it writes - “Rzeczpospolita”. Three months have passed from election poland and meantime on hosts in 2012 in poland ukraine euro , beyond appointing several committee and it make many high-sounding declarations a few if it walks about preparation for performance. Stadia omitting unexisting, hotels and highways, as it happens, that complete stagnation reigns from bureaucratic part even.

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