By Andrew Warshaw
May 4 – With only six weeks to go before the start of the European Championship finals, the political situation in Ukraine is causing widespread concern, with the joint hosts under increasing scrutiny by both UEFA and the international community.
On Wednesday (May 2), as reported by insideworldfootball, Amnesty International warned that fans travelling to Ukraine faced a police force that was “out of control” and there are now worrying signs that the country may end up proving entirely the wrong choice for the first tournament of such stature to be held in Eastern Europe.
Two days before the Amnesty International report and following a series of explosions that rocked the city of Dnipropetrovsk, UEFA issued a statement saying it had received “clear assurances” that the country was safe for visitors but made a point of adding that it had alerted Ukraine “about the concerns raised” over security issues.
Austria has not qualified for the finals but has already announced that no member of its Government will be attending games in Ukraine in a gesture of solidarity with jailed ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
A similar move is reportedly being considered by Germany, whose team is one of the strong favourites.
Ukraine’s response to a growing number of European Union (EU) leaders pledging to boycott the event has been to go on the defensive.
“UEFA has made no serious criticism about Ukraine,” said Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov (pictured below, left).
Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years in October on charges of abuse of power and is currently on hunger strike after claiming to have been beaten by guards at her prison in Kharkiv, one of Ukraine’s four tournament venues.
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych (pictured above, right) insists he has nothing to do with the case but Tymoshenko, who led the 2004 Orange Revolution, accuses him of pursuing a political vendetta against her.
UEFA has steadfastly dismissed any suggestion that Ukraine, which has worked flat out to get its infrastructure ready on time, might be stripped of hosting rights – and so have local politicians.
“The Euro 2012 is to be held in Ukraine and Poland,” said Ukraine’s Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn.
“Full stop.
“Or an exclamation mark if you like.
“It is not right to whip up negativism and fear.”
Nevertheless, as well as the risk of a political boycott of the Euros, at least seven EU leaders could skip a Central European summit scheduled for Yalta later this month.
Germany, which has led EU concern over the Tymoshenko case, said Ukraine’s treatment of its ex-Premier could block a partnership deal and urged the authorities to respect human rights.
“The Ukrainian Government must know: The path to Europe crosses a bridge which stands on two pillars: democracy and rule of law,” Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (pictured above) was quoted by the mass-circulation newspaper Bild.
Ukraine desperately hopes the Euros will be a unique chance to promote the positive side of the country, with games to be played in the capital Kiev, Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv.
But the huge distances involved and prohibitive hotel costs continue to cause adverse publicity before a ball has even been kicked.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle says Ukraine would be under the microscope during the championships not just for football reasons “but also how Kiev plays by European rules and standards”.
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