Yesterday, Italian daily “Il Giornale” said that next week, Michel Platini, UEFA head, may decide to organize EURO2012 outside Poland and Ukraine. When the decision for Poland and Ukraine was announced a year ago, construction companies were very satisfied. They hoped for giant income. Their stock prices jumped.
Today, experts fear that a decision to hold the championships somewhere else would destroy Poland’s image.
“The image has already suffered when Daimler said it would invest somewhere else”, Wojciech Szelagowski, the former deputy CEO of PAIIZ investment agency commented.
“On the one hand, it would not influence foreign investments because the boom has been going on for several years no. On the other hand, infrastructural investments connected with the championships increase our attractiveness. If they are suspended or delayed it may become more difficult to attract foreign investors”, Pawel Panczyj, Ernst & Young expert said.
Specialists believe a negative decision would be a disaster for tourist companies.
“You cannot evaluate the losses. A small earthquake or a terrorist attack is enough to spoil a country’s image for years. We would be called losers who did not manage with an even organized by smaller countries easily”, Jan Korsak, the CEO of the Polish Chamber of Tourism added.
Construction companies do not fear such decision.
“When we were chosen, the only change for us was that the order of necessary projects was changed. The projects will be realized anyway”, Konrad Jaskola, Polimex-Mostostal CEO said.
“Without EURO, the results of my company won’t change. We must build roads and the infrastructure anyway”, Marek Stefanski, Pol-Aqua CEO added.
“Whether EURO is in Poland or not, it won’t influence economy. During the
even, consumption will probably grow but in a perspective of several years, such
a change has a minor meaning”, Janusz Jankowiak, chief economist of the Polish
Business Council believed.