On Thursday, May 14, a special press-conference of the President of Football Federation of Ukraine Grygoriy Surkis and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Ivan Vasiunyk was held in Kyiv. It concerned the results of the UEFA EURO 2012 Supervisory Board meeting on the 8th of May and UEFA Executive Committee session on the 12-13th of May where the decisions concerning the selection of host cities for EURO 2012 were taken.

Parity choice

Grygoriy Surkis named the UEFA's decision on parity choice as the key result of the above-mentioned meetings as the Executive Committee confirmed the appointment of the four venues in Poland (Gdansk, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw) and Ukrainian capital Kyiv as host cities for European championship matches, and obligated Donetsk, Lviv and Kharkiv to meet specific conditions by 30 November 2009 with regard to the stadiums, airport infrastructure, regional transport and accommodation.

Taking opportunity

“The ExCo’s decisions are fair, since UEFA adhered to a policy of parity which both sides − Ukrainian and Polish − insisted upon. There were named four cities in both countries that have an opportunity to host EURO 2012 games should all tournament conditions be met”, said Grygoriy Surkis. “The question is if these cities will take their opportunity and not lose them due to lack of ability to organise an event the size of a final tournament of the UEFA European Championship. Thereupon I consider all complaints and resentments against UEFA pointless and inappropriate. Since any patience can wear thin. I think it is absolutely fair that the tournament’s rightholder has laid down very strict and clear conditions for the host country”.

Work on the mistakes

Ukrainian FA president advised the EURO 2012 regional figures to stop looking for the guilty of their own problems. “The issue is clear-cut − either we assiduously and effectively work on the mistakes or UEFA will change the format of the tournament hardly in our interest. That’s all, full stop!” he urged. “Actions speak louder than words. I accentuated my attention on this, because I read the first reactions for the decisions taken in Bucharest. I want to remind some very emotional newsmakers that it was set from the very beginning that there would be six candidate-cities claiming for four venues to host the matches of the European championship”.

Give up the speculations!

“So it’s completely useless to arouse hysterics after UEFA having implemented this in practice, which means that Ukraine and Poland had two cities not appointed as official host cities nor retained as reserve cities. Thus, I think any speculations on this issue degrade honor and dignity of those who spread them, moreover they harm our country’s reputation altogether,” Grigoriy Surkis continued. “By the way, forming a positive image of the EURO 2012 in our country is another important point”.

New informational policy

“I insist that mass media representatives should be involved in the process along with the leaders and managers of the preparations. Since we have to divide the responsibility among all us for the tournament to be represented before the eyes of the whole world in 2012”, Ukrainian FA president told the journalists. “One is as good as none in this national project. It is our common European choice and perspectives. Let everyone lay his part to this strategic foundation. Let’s start from ourselves. Personally I did everything possible for EURO 2012 to be staged in Ukraine. And what about you?... I call mass-media to start a wide dialogue with the society. I suppose that most of the Ukrainians strive for the new informational product in terms of EURO 2012 − without any scandals and far-fetched sensations”.

Strict conditions

“Besides, the decisions the EUFA Executive Committee passed do not leave any grounds for yellow-pages hype. They are clear-cut and pragmatic providing the hosting side with strict temporal and schedule obligations to be met. This kind of business relations leaves no room for nonsense talks. So I summon each of you − and via your media-resources all those involved in the preparations − to review their public and professional approach with regards to EURO 2012. We do have enough time to turn the situation to the better. Let’s do the 30th of November another national holiday and rescue a hope for the great future”, Grigoriy Surkis resumed.