Ukraine’s government has reached agreement with a commercial developer to tear down part of a shopping centre and enable the country’s main stadium to be used for the 2012 European championships.
Ukrainian news agencies said ministers had signed a memorandum with the Yudzhin company to make adjustments to the shopping centre adjacent to Kiev’s 84,000-seat Olympic stadium.
“The memorandum calls for the dismantling of all above ground construction… by the Olympic stadium and for the adaptation of all underground parts to the needs of Euro 2012,” Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Vasyunik was quoted as saying.
UEFA had long cited the proximity of the shopping centre to Kiev’s 84,000-seat Olympic stadium as a key problem, and warned that the final could not be held there unless changes were made.
UEFA last week accused the tournament’s joint organisers, Ukraine and Poland, of moving too slowly in their preparations for 2012 and said the next four to six months would be “decisive” in putting matters back on schedule.
