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Andrey PavlenkoHead of the Dnipropetrovsk Region Football Federation
Country:
 Ukraine |
Content:
- Preparations for Euro-2012
- Economic Crisis and Its Impact
- Hotel Infrastructure
- Infrastructure Development
Dmytro Pavlenko: Head of the Football Federation of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Dnipropetrovsk, like five other Ukrainian cities vying to host matches for the final stage of Euro-2012, is in the public spotlight. Against the backdrop of the economic crisis, it's intriguing to witness how the city that boasts several of the country's largest banks will weather the financial storm.
Andriy Pavlenko, head of the Football Federation of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, shared his perspective on the situation.
Preparations for Euro-2012
Pavlenko emphasized, "I'm pleased that our city is fulfilling all the guarantees given to UEFA. I am confident that our preparation pace is among the best in Ukraine. Of course, there are challenges, but they are of a national nature. I'm referring to the preservation of airports, the construction of runways and new terminals. This issue must be addressed at the national level."
"The beautiful new 'Dnipro-Arena' stadium is now in operation, and minor flaws in its design have been corrected. As for the issue of the number of 'clean' and 'dirty' seats, which is often discussed in the press, I want to stress that this is a minor problem. We have nearly four years to reconfigure the seating arrangement and add about 1,500 more seats. Overall, the stadium meets all UEFA standards, including safety requirements and the provision of specially equipped entrances and seats for people with disabilities."
"Incidentally, as UEFA representatives have noted, the stadium is very well located—in the heart of the city. A fan zone is situated right next to the stadium, in the park. We also plan to set up fan zones with large screens in the city's central square and on the Dnieper embankment. I am confident that the organization of entertainment for fans will be one of our city's strengths."
"I would like to point out that representatives of Dnipropetrovsk are the only ones in Ukraine who have familiarized themselves with the work of volunteers in Austria and Switzerland. We were the first in our country to register the Association of Football Volunteers, which will study international experience in their activities and conduct various seminars and training sessions."
"In June, our delegation attended matches at Euro-2008 and saw many things that ordinary fans did not. We observed how life was organized in the sponsor villages, how fans arrived, how they settled into the fan zones... Negotiations are currently underway with the Swiss authorities to arrange another trip. In February, our team will visit Bern and Zurich."
Economic Crisis and Its Impact
"If there are any problems, they are common to all of Ukraine. We must understand that the crisis is a global phenomenon, and it could not have bypassed Ukraine. Certainly, some changes will be made to projects in all cities. The Dnipropetrovsk governor was the first to draw attention to this."
"Perhaps, the crisis will limit the capabilities of certain investors and construction companies. They will adjust their plans, but overall, we compiled a list of facilities with a large buffer long before these events. So the necessary number of hotels, training bases and, most importantly, the football arena for Euro-2012 will be ready."
Hotel Infrastructure
"New hotels are being built in Dnipropetrovsk. I also have a list of dormitories that will host fans from different countries during Euro-2012. In addition, let's not forget that we have excellent bases: the base of the football club 'Dnipro' as well as a number of wonderful hotel complexes—'Lavina', 'Hudson', and 'Sanrey', which will feature football pitches. UEFA inspectors have noted that it's not often that they see bases with such good conditions in Europe."
Infrastructure Development
"The issue of parking spaces around the stadium has already been resolved, and our mayor, Ivan Kulichenko, deserves the lion's share of the credit. At a high level of government, he was able to settle the problem with the military unit that was located on the territory of the new stadium. The demolition of all structures of the military unit is currently in full swing. I believe that a parking lot around the stadium, exceeding UEFA requirements, will be built by the time of the next 'Dnipro' matches."
"Everyone knows the deplorable condition of our roads. Will we be able to put them in order by 2012?"
"Of course, we will. Last year, five bridges were reconstructed at the expense of the city budget. Now, funds are being allocated for road repair. I am confident that all highways will be ready. Naturally, we would like to receive assistance from the state budget as well."
