Yaroslavskyy: Kharkiv Has No Rivals

<P>In the framework of the program of public control over Ukraine’s preparations for Euro-2012 Kyiv journalists visited Kharkiv. Representatives of Ukrainian mass media were able to personally assess the level of preparedness of the main facilities of Euro-2012 and watch the works that are going on there. The special feature of the press-tour was the opportunity to talk to Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy – the owner of the DCH Group, the general investor of Kharkiv’s preparations for Euro-2012. <BR>- Do you have any plans for development of Kharkiv in general?<BR>Yaroslavskyy: It’s the authorities’ responsibility to plan the city development. I plan to develop the project that I have undertaken. <BR>- UEFA experts have already visited Kharkiv. What was their reaction to what they saw?<BR>Yaroslavskyy: Their reaction was positive as UEFA primarily follows the dynamics. As we know, the experts who visited our city based their conclusions on the previous surveys of the experts whom we did not even see. These people are constantly present in the regions that are competing for the right to host matches of Euro-2012. They understand that when they visit a place, they can see something and the next day all the works might stop. Therefore experts are mostly interested in development and dynamics.</P> <P>- How do you estimate Kharkiv’s chances on May 8, and which cities can be real candidates to host the matches if we take into account the current dynamics?&nbsp;<BR>Yaroslavskyy: You know a proverb – every bird likes its own nest. It is obvious that I will praise and promote Kharkiv.</P> <P>- I mean your feelings and forecasts.<BR>Yaroslavskyy: I think that we have no rivals. Of course it is a joke. I wish every city success, but of course, I wish Kharkiv and its residents to participate in this process. One way or another, we are doing everything for this and you can compare the situation in other competing cities.<BR>- Are the chances high?<BR>- It’s up to UEFA experts to decide.<BR></P>