December 30 – Wroclaw, one of four Polish cities due to host the 2012 European Championships, today scrapped a stadium construction deal with Mostostal Warszawa, Mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz said.
Wroclaw, one of four Polish cities hosting the finals, decided to end its agreement with Mostostal Warszawa because of construction delays.
“I have came to a conclusion that Mostosal is not able to finalise the construction in the agreed time and if we continue cooperation the risk that delay would be even bigger is very high,” Dutkiewicz told a televised news conference.
Mostostal, whose shares on the Warsaw bourse dropped by seven per cent after the announcement, said it was still looking to rescue the 730 million zlotys (£158 million) deal.
“We hope this whole situation resolves in a positive manner,” said media officer Kinga Drozd.
“We will do everything to continue building this stadium.”
The Wroclaw stadium was due to be completed in spring 2011 but now looks unlikely to be finished until the summer.
“We expect to have a new contract in place within two to three weeks,” said Dutkiewicz.
The announcement casts another shadow over the preparations of joint hosts Poland and Ukraine.
UEFA, European governing body, has been frustrated by the slow progress of work in Ukraine and in May gave the country’s four cities six months to show significant improvement.
Michel Platini, UEFA’s President, also spoke of huge Ukrainian problems over airport infrastructure, transport networks and suitable accommodation for the massive influx of fans.
Poland had previously been praised for its preparations and today’s news was the first real sign of problems in that country.
Neither the Polish Football Association (PZPN) nor PL.2012, the Government agency handling preparations, were available for immediate comment.
The tournament will be held in the Polish cities of Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk and Ukraine’s Kiev, Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv.
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