Former Polish President and Head of the Board of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) Alexander Kwasniewski has said that he is against the initiative of several European politicians to boycott Euro 2012 in Ukraine in connection with the situation around former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
"I don’t like it when people mix politics and sport. This is another example of roles and tasks being confused… I believe that Ukraine and Poland should have a chance to organize a good championship, which will be a sporting holiday and bring joy to athletes and fans," Kwasniewski told Polish Radio TOK FM, while commenting on statements about a boycott of Euro 2012 in Ukraine in connection with the situation around Tymoshenko.
He said that he understood quite well that the current situation in Ukraine was not proper, and required various initiatives that would entail a change in the policy of the Ukrainian authorities with respect to former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the European Union – but not in the form of a boycott.
"Where dialog gives way to a boycott, the results are usually disastrous. Dialog does not mean that we agree with our interlocutor. We can say very tough, very annoying, and very decisive things. On the other hand, I think that the failure of the dialog and a boycott would be ineffective and would do more harm than good," he said.
