by Fiona Thompson

Created on: May 07, 2007   Last Updated: May 17, 2007

The impact of UEFA Euro 2012 on the host nations can not be under-estimated; it will not only bring huge amounts of money into Poland and Ukraine, but it will see badly needed investment in the both countries' infrastructure - roads, airports, public transport, hotels - as well as provide new and improved sporting facilities.
Both countries are enthusiastic about football but require more input to train youngsters and improve ground safety.

I have visited both countries but Ukraine was most recent; this country will benefit from new jobs, better roads, an effective public transport system - as it is it can take all day to travel what would be a couple of hours in the USA or western Europe. The influx of foreign visitors will also - I am sure - see a rise in the standards of customer service - a concept which is quite alien in Ukraine after years of Soviet rule; it is not people are unfriendly it is just that decades of shortages and playing by the rules have made people inflexible and has given many a couldn't care less attitude - why bother going that extra mile if you're getting paid whatever?

I predict that many of the legions of Polish builders and labourers who have travelled to other European Union countries will return home to take up the jobs required by new building programmes and that Ukraine will see a big upsurge in its economy with perhaps much of the investment coming from foreign companies looking to open hotel and food chains. People who can speak English will be at a distinct advantage.

Euro 2012 will favour the bold and it will favour the international investor but some ordinary people in Ukraine may suffer; I am thinking of older people who currently make extra money to supplement their meagre pensions by renting rooms in their homes because their are so few hotels. I expect international budget hotel chains will fill the gap and these people will be left poverty stricken.

The shady businessmen who own many of the Ukrainian football clubs will no doubt clean up - many have made their fortunes from construction and already own hotels and restaurants but they will be in strong enough position to take advantage of new opportunities.

Overall I believe that Poland And Ukraine will be able to use this opportunity to show the rest of Europe that the eastern nations do deserve to be considered truly European and to highlight that they are shaking off the past; after all twenty-four of the nations that are now members of UEFA were once behind the Iron Curtain and it is time for them to be properly welcomed.

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