Translated material
Why Euro is not a holiday
I have little doubts that Ukrainians will meet foreign guests cordially. I think that Europeans will like Ukraine. But would Ukrainians accept guests less cordially and without euro? Yes, and attractions from tourist avenues appeared not during preparation for the championship. Do you think that football fans do not give a damn about hospitality and nature-monuments-sprout-historical places? I do not exclude. They go to get sick, football to see, relax.
But the fact of the matter is that Euro 2012 is more than football competitions for Ukrainians. Maybe for a Frenchman or German, Ukraine is just a territory for football matches, but did Ukrainians who fighted for the right to hold the championship five years ago dreamed about this? Euro 2012 was supposed to become a huge political project. If you want, and ideological too. He had to allow Ukrainians to believe in themselves, show the whole world what Ukraine is capable of. He had to show ordinary French and Germans that Ukrainians not only have the right, but also deserve participation in the Unified political space of the European Union. But in the political plan, the Euro project failed.
The Ukrainian authorities made too much effort in relation to infrastructure. This is its unconditional power (and we will not about the sad - “kickbacks” and corruption). I remember that the Poles (partners in the championship) rejoiced for the Ukrainians two years ago: you were lucky that Viktor Yanukovych came to power, the work immediately got better, otherwise with the squabble “orange” they could not establish to the championship. However, the Ukrainian authorities, which befell the science of stadium construction, forgot that Euro 2012 is not only sports. She did not take the stupidity of the unknown to me that the arrests of opposition politicians abroad would not go unnoticed. Even if the stadium was built in Ukraine - the eighth miracle of the world.
By and large, the Ukrainian ambassador to Russia Vladimir Yelchenko is right, saying that the idea of a political boycott of the euro failed. The diplomat is right: only a few officials of the European Commission will not come to the championship. But weren't these officials the Ukrainian president was waiting for these officials? Of course, the light of a wedge on the Europeans did not converge. 27 countries of the European Union, still the USA, yes Canada ... This is a trifle! In the world of 193 countries! What is 29 versus 164? Indeed, a mere trifle is from an arithmetic point of view. But with political?! Who are we trying to deceive?! Themselves, voters on the eve of the parliamentary elections?!
Maybe I'm thickening paints? Maybe everything is much better? I decided to conduct a small survey among friends - journalists, political scientists, diplomats. People who display social moods and affect them. He asked people of various political views. He hoped, maybe they had more optimism.
The first commentary : “We are tired of living in anticipation of this championship, on rumored roads, in constant repairs. I would like to all start and end as soon as possible, and life returned to the normal direction. ”
The second comment: “I do not expect anything from the euro. When I drive along the "tank" roads and abandoned villages of the Kanevsky district, I am well aware of where exactly it was necessary to send money spent on preparing for the euro. Officials built new terminals for themselves and their families. And it seems that the young Ukrainian who leaves his homeland does not care from which airportway to fly away. The probable failure of the national team and the state during the tournament is the reckoning for how we hardly built our country for 20 years. ”
The third comment: “When we received the right to hold the euro, I understood what kind of load we would have to raise. I understood that no investment in the country would come, even though the authorities promised. I understood that preparation for the championship is a continuous deeriban of budget funds. Feels mixed. First: bitterly from the fact that I was right. Second: regret that it is happening in my country. ”
Comment Fourth: “I was waiting for the euro with some fear, but at the same time with hope. With fear - because I understand: too much in our country is not ready to receive so many guests. Plus all these negative reviews - including from our compatriots; Some amazing moods - they say, with the euro we are a priori we will disgrace. But I have hope, because I believe in the best: even that our team can at least get to the semifinals (which no one believes at all). And that Ukraine will still appeal to foreigners, no matter what. ”
In any case, now little depends on Ukrainian politicians. All that they could do have already done. Or did not. The relay passes into the hands of the Ukrainians themselves, who should show that Ukraine is completely different than many could seem from the pages of world newspapers. That politicians leave and come. That these are required to leave. Ukrainians must understand that this country will still succeed!