UEFA: Poznań and Wrocław - tomorrow

UEFA delegation acknowledged the Warsaw’s bid, candidate for hosting the finals of the European Football Championships in 2012. The Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński met the UEFA representative before the noon.

In the afternoon, the UEFA delegates went to Gdańsk, where they will be visiting the airport, training centre and hold the meeting the city mayor and provincial governor. Before the midday on Tuesday, they will visit airport in Poznań and meet with local authorities and watch the city’s presentation. Just after the noon, they will go to Wrocław, where the agenda is similar to the one presented in the three previously mentioned cities.

On Wednesday’s morning, the UEFA delegates will go to Lvov and stay there for 2.5 day.

The UEFA delegates arrived to the capital city of Poland late in the evening on Sunday. Because of delay, the scheduled dinner Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz acting as the President of Warsaw, President of Polish Football Association Michał Listkiewicz and the Minister of Sport Tomasz Lipiec was postponed.

The meeting with Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Polish Football Federation authorities and the Minister of Sport was held on Monday at 7.00 a.m. This was the informal meeting on support of the city inhabitants for hosting of EURO 2012 football matches. The multimedia presentation of Warsaw took place an hour later, at the library of the University of Warsaw.

- The delegates were presented with many aspects – said to PAP Kamil Wnuk, the spokesman of EURO 2012 Project Staff. – Most of all, the presentation covered the city development plan for the next five years. We wanted to show our guests that Warsaw knows what should be done in the field of championships. It is obvious that UEFA also knows what should be done in Warsaw. The delegates were assured that the National Stadium will be built in the capital city regardless from the fact whether we will be granted to right to host EURO 2012 or not.

- The UEFA representatives were asking very detailed questions - said Kamil Wnuk. – They had forms with details issues relating to the city development plans, transport, hotel infrastructure, stadium construction plans, and its architecture. They pointed to the least details. For example, I may say that according to the concept, the leading camera on the Stadium is planned from the Eastern side, and delegates suggested placing it from the West.

After presentation, guests visited training centre in Konstancin, next met the Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński. – We maintained all governmental guarantees relating to our efforts for hosting the European Football Championships in 2012. Relations between Poland and Ukraine are very good and there are no reason for any suspicions or suppositions – said Kaczyński after the meeting.

Next, delegates visited the Congress Hall in the Congress Centre. According to one of concepts regarding hosting of championships, this would be the place for tossing of groups for final tournament of championships.

Poland was visited by: Harry Benn – member of UEFA committee for national teams, Giorgio Marchetti - UEFA director for professional football, Mikael Salzer – head of UEFA for competition of national teams, Christoph Jung - UEFA manager for EURO 2012 bid, Maik Kiss – head of team for events organized by UEFA and Marion-Nicole Breuer - UEFA safety consultant.

The UEFA visit is held in the framework of the second stage of rivalry for hosting of championships’ finals in 2012. This will be one of four elements decisive for final evaluation of candidates.

The following are also taken into account: application documentation transmitted to UEFA on 31st May this year, results of public survey of support in candidate country (October 2006) and final presentation of each candidate (7 December 2006). The host of European Football Championships 2012 will be selected on 8th of December.

Source: PZPN, 11th September 2006