European Football Championship may unite Ukraine - Klitschko

Euro-2012 will become the event that may unite Ukraine. Adviser to the President of Ukraine, World Heavyweight Champion, Vitali Klitschko said so at a plenary session of the 4th Yalta European Strategy annual meeting (YES) during a round-table session "UEFA EURO 2012: Will it Make a Difference for Ukraine?". "The Championship is going to be an event that unites the country", said he.

Advisor to the President mentioned Germany as an example, where the Football Championship significantly contributed to resolution of disputes between the Western and Eastern parts of Germany reunited in 1991.

Moreover, Vitali Klitschko pointed out that the championship would have a positive influence on infrastructure development of Ukraine and, ultimately, on all spheres of economy and, in particular, services. "Hosting the Championship will introduce new quality standards-quality of goods, quality of services", - he said.

The advisor to the President emphasized that Ukraine should take into due consideration a long-term effect of preparatory measures. "We have greatly succeeded in hosting the Eurovision Song Contest". However, after the event finished the situation resembled the one from Cinderella fairy tale - nothing has changed in terms of infrastructure. We should learn how to keep hold of the results of our victories", - he said.

"Yalta European Strategy" (YES) is an independent organization, which brings together high-level policy-makers, business leaders, thinkers, researchers, and journalists in Ukraine and abroad to facilitate Ukraine's accession to EU. The annual YES summits in Yalta have become the leading informal high-level forum focused on discussing and development of political recommendations. In 2006, the YES experts developed an analytical document "Agenda-2020", representing a step-by-step strategy for Ukraine's accession to the European Union in 2020. YES organization was created by a Ukrainian businessman and public figure, Victor Pinchuk in 2004.