Companies@UA: База компаний Украины

Kharkiv, July 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Heads of the local government agencies in the four Ukrainian cities that seek to host the Euro 2012 European Football Championship finals have announced a joint statement and urged all the political forces "to declare a taboo any unconsidered statements on hosting the Euro 2012 in Ukraine."

"We call on all political forces and movements, public organizations and their leaders to declare a taboo any unconsidered statements on holding the Euro 2012 matches in Ukraine and hope for discreet behavior and objective comments only," reads the statement signed by the mayors of Donetsk, Lviv, Kharkiv and the first vice mayor of Kyiv in Kharkiv on Friday.

According to the statement, "the guarantees provided to UEFA as for the development of sports and social infrastructure in the hosing cities in the context of the terms and requirements set by UEFA, as well as for the comfort and security of all the participants and visitors during the event have been fully confirmed today by practical action – the construction of stadiums, airports, runways, hotels, highways in the cities and intercity railways, the arrangement of medical servicing and cultural activities."

The authors of the statement claim that the government's concrete action and "their determination" will make it possible to realize all the undertaken commitments in 2010 and 2012 and finalize the preparation of the hosting cities for the Euro 2012.

They also point out that the recent decisions taken in parliament enable the government to start more active financing of the Euro 2012 preparations.

The statement was passed at the first regional working meeting on preparing and holding the Euro 2012 in Kharkiv on July 24. The meeting was chaired by Vice Premier Ivan Vasiunyk and attended by Football Federation of Ukraine head Hryhoriy Surkis.

As was reported earlier, the UEFA Executive Committee at a meeting in Bucharest on May 13, 2009, confirmed Kyiv and four cities in Poland - Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk - as host cities for Euro 2012 events.

Kyiv was confirmed as a host city for group matches, quarterfinals and a semifinal. At the same time, the final match of Euro 2012 will be held in Kyiv only if specific conditions with regard to the stadium, airport infrastructure, regional transport and accommodation are met by November 30, 2009.

Three other venues in Ukraine – Donetsk, Lviv and Kharkiv – will host group matches if they meet the same conditions by this deadline.

The UEFA Executive Committee decided not to host Euro 2012 matches in Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa.

A final decision with regard to the Ukrainian cities will be taken by November 30, 2009.