UEFA President Michel Platini is heading a UEFA delegation that will be visiting the host countries for UEFA EURO 2012, Poland and Ukraine, over the next two days.
One-to-one meetings
Mr Platini will hold one-to-one meetings with the presidents and prime ministers of both countries. On Wednesday afternoon, he will meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Lech Kaczyński. On Thursday, the UEFA President will have discussions with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and President Viktor Yushchenko.
Fact-finding mission
"This visit is part of a top-level fact-finding mission to Poland and Ukraine," said Mr Platini. "We will meet with the countries' leaders and hold discussions with all the relevant bodies in charge of the preparations for UEFA EURO 2012, in order to take stock of the current situation within the two countries. A report will then be given to the UEFA Executive Committee in order that they can fully review the situation in the two countries at our next meeting on 25 and 26 September in Bordeaux. "
Meeting associations
The ten-strong delegation will also have high-level talks with the two football associations – the Polish Football Association and the Football Federation of Ukraine – and the ministries and bodies involved in preparing UEFA EURO 2012. Poland and Ukraine were chosen as co-hosts of the 2012 tournament in April 2007.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan
Part of the delegation, including Michel Platini, will continue on from Ukraine and travel to Kazakhstan, where they will meet the Football Federation of Kazakhstan and visit the new stadium in Astana, before moving on to Azerbaijan's capital Baku for discussions with the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan and a visit to the construction site of a youth football academy.
Important development
"I am very happy to use this opportunity to visit my football friends in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan and to see their latest projects – a new football stadium in Astana and a new youth academy respectively," said Mr Platini. "The development of football infrastructure in these countries further east is very important for the future of our game."uefa All rights reserved
