Ukrainian Government predicts an unprecedented €6-billion boost
from EURO 2012 championships

The Minister of Family, Youth and Sport of Ukraine, Mr Viktor Korzh, announced this week that should the Poland-Ukraine bid win the rights to host the 2012 UEFA European Championships, Ukraine would attract an unprecedented 6-billion Euro investment in infrastructure.

This dramatic acceleration of the Ukrainian economy would happen through the new infrastructure development of roads, railways and airports, as well as other infrastructure necessary to accommodate Europe's largest sporting event in one of Europe's largest and fastest growing markets of Poland and Ukraine, whose citizens account for 10% of the European population. 

Last week the Government of Ukraine approved a draft bill which will enable Ukraine and Poland to work side by side in the hosting of the UEFA EURO 2012. With Poland as one of the "big six" member countries of the EU and Ukraine an aspiring member, it was necessary to harmonise certain legal aspects within the two countries to ensure that there were no obstacles in the way of UEFA awarding the UEFA EURO 2012 to their joint bid. 

The Minister said "We are doing everything possible to try to ensure that Ukraine and Poland will win this bid. We all know how important this will be, not only for our millions of football fans, but for the whole country. Sport is not only crucial for a healthy lifestyle, but it can also be a vital impulse for economic development. The impact of the EURO in our regions would be enormous". 

"The 2012 draft bill regulates all arrangements and legal principles of activity for state and private institutions on the preparations of this important event," the Minister added.

The country has already committed hundreds of millions towards new sporting infrastructure, as part of its policy to create state of the art sporting venues to satisfy the needs of the millions of fans who attend football matches every weekend in the country. New state-of-the-art stadiums in Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk are already under construction, with refurbishment plans already in place for stadiums in Kiev, Kharkiv and Odessa.

Poland and Ukraine are bidding against a bid from Italy and a joint bid from Hungary and Croatia to host the UEFA EURO 2012.


For further information:						March 12th 2007
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