DONETSK – Donetsk will increase its chances of becoming a host city of the Euro 2012 European Football Championship if it properly prepares its airport and hotel infrastructure, Ukrainian Vice Premier Ivan Vasiunyk has said.
“We have to show by November 30 … progress in preparing major infrastructure objects for Euro 2012. This mainly means the airport and the preparation of proper hotels in Donetsk and its suburbs,” Vasiunyk said in Donetsk on Tuesday at a meeting on preparing the city for Euro 2012.
According to vice premier, the preparation of Donetsk airport is the primary task.
“In fact, we have no doubts that the takeoff runaway, as last year, will be financed this year and, commissioned in 2010 as per the key plan. … As for the terminal, we have agreed with the leadership of Donetsk region … with the participation of Borys Viktorovych Kolesnikov [Regions Party MP] that the Donetsk management team is to conduct within the next ten days … an expert examination of the existing project for the terminal and its feasibility. We will meet in ten days at the Cabinet of Ministers in order to give a final answer and inform UEFA by July 31, as they require, on our ability to implement this project in time and [give] confirmation of the guarantees for the financial support of the project,” the vice premier said.
Regarding the preparation of hotel infrastructure, Vasiunyk noted the possibility of using the resources of neighboring cities. In addition, there are also programs for the construction of apartment hotels by 2012, he added.
“These programs have to be worked out in detail in the coming days, and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, first, and then discussed and approved by UEFA,” the vice premier added.
As for the preparation of municipal roads for Euro 2012, according to Vasiunyk, the government has decided that 50% of all the costs until 2012 will be covered by the state budget, and 50% by local budgets.
Vasiunyk also noted that he does not exclude the possibility that the financing of the construction of Donetsk airport will come partially from the local budget and partially from the state budget.
