UEFA decision on EURO 2012 venue cities optimal, Ukraine says

The Ukrainian government was pleased with the decision that the UEFA passed concerning the local cities that would co-host UEFA EURO 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Vasiunyk told a press conference at UKRINFORM Thursday.

"The UEFA decision confirmed the powerful consolidating potential, which is so important to the Ukrainian society. The matches will be staged in the capital city, two big industrial centers, and a cultural center. This list is actually an axis of consolidation of Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine highly appreciates UEFA's partner decision on a parity choice of the Ukrainian and Polish cities to host UEFA EURO 2012, Vasiunyk emphasized. "We are convinced: the EURO 2012 project will further carry a great potential of social reforms, and will help the Ukrainians feel like real Europeans," he stressed.

The vice premier voiced hope that in the six month, after which the venue status of Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv must be confirmed, the Ukrainian cities will be able to provide the UEFA with sufficient arguments in their favor.

The pragmatic decision of the UEFA, which named the cities where the matches may take place, makes it possible to concentrate there the bulk of resources for the build-up to UEFA EURO 2012, Vasiunyk pointed out.

In his turn, Ukrainian Football Federation President Hryhoriy Surkis stressed that the confirmation of parity in the choice of the UEFA EURO 2012 venue cities is the key decision of Wednesday's meeting of the UEFA executive committee.

As reported, the UEFA Executive Committee approved in Bucharest on Wednesday a final list of Ukrainian and Polish cities that will host matches of the UEFA EURO 2012 European Football Championship. Kyiv obtained a 100-percent confirmation of the host-city status, when Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv must demonstrate the proper dynamics of preparing their infrastructure for the championship by November 30.

Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, and Wroclaw will co-host the championship in Poland.

UKRINFORM