Yuschenko and Klitchko will welcome UEFA

Today, Victor Yuschenko, president of the Ukraine, will hold the meeting with UEFA representatives. The meeting will be also attended by legends of the Ukrainian sport – Vitaly Klitchko, boxing world champion and Sergey Bubka, at present president of the National Olympic Committee.

On 13th September, following the visit in hosting cities, UEFA delegation arrived to Lviv.

In Lviv, the delegates visited "Opera" hotel notified as the Ukrainian UEFA seat for hosting of EURO 2012. Moreover, they also viewed VIP zone – The Salomea Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, and Lviv Art Gallery "Potocki Family Castle", where they watched city presentation.

Next, UEFA representatives were invited for official party arranged by the head of Lviv District State Administration and the president of Lviv. Finally, the inspectors visited square at Stryjska Street selected as construction site of the new Lviv stadium and watched presentation given by the authors of the new stadium construction project.

In the evening that day, UEFA representatives went to the capital city, where they met Juriy Pavlenko, minister for the family, youth and sport, and watched the Champion’s League tournament between Dynamo Kiev and Steaua Bucharest.

Today in the morning, deputy prime minister Dmitro Tabacznik, accompanied by Juriy Pavlenko, the minister for family, youth and sport, Grigory Surkis, president of the Football Federation of Ukraine and member of the UEFA Executive Committee as well as Sergey Bubka, president of the National Olympic Committee, met with UEFA inspectors.

The agenda of UEFA visit in Kiev covers also the meeting with Aleksandr Moroz, head of the Ukraine Supreme Council of Ukraine, walk in Chreszczaty Park and by Chreszczatyk, the main street of the capital city, touring around "The Ukrainian House", watching presentation of Kiev’s infrastructure as well as dinner with president of Kiev, Leonid Czernowiecki.

Before the meeting with the President of Ukraine, UEFA representatives visited the International Exhibition Centre provided in bid as the television and radio headquarters for EURO 2012, and "Olympic" stadium, where the final match of the Championships is to be played. The delegation also visited education and training complex in the memorial of Bannikov and Football Centre.

The official meeting of the President of Ukraine with UEFA representatives, scheduled at 4.00 p.m., will be attended by Juryj Pavlenko, minister for the family, youth and sport, Leonid Czernowiecki, president of Kiev, Grigory Surkis, president of the Football Federation of Ukraine and member of UEFA Executive Committee, Siergiey Bubka, president of the National Olympic Committee, Vitaly Klitchko, boxing world champion, Ivan Fedorenko, manager of the Executive Directorate of Ukraine for EURO 2012 and Dirck Smits van Oyen, general manager of the Bid.

The visit of UEFA inspectors is the important stage in participation of Poland and Ukraine in contest for hosting of EURO 2012. The next step if the UEFA public survey, which will be held in October this year. The survey is to define the level of social support for the idea of hosting Championships of Europe in Poland and Ukraine.

In voting that will be held in December, members of UEFA Executive Committee shall pay special attention to support of representatives of the state authorities of a given country for the idea of hosting EURO 2012 and what particular steps were taken to improve the infrastructure. The motivation aspect will be also considered: what are the expectations of a given country with regards to Championships and what such a country is willing to do for hosting this event is selected as the host. According to results of public surveys, improvement of the international image, attracting the investors and economic growth, as well as creation of the new job opportunities and development of tourism are the main advantages for the country/countries hosting Championships of Europe.

FFU, 14th September 2006