Not everything which has been said about the effects of Poland and Ukraine staging Euro 2012 can be treated as the result of clear and cogent thought. Voiced opinions were frequently of an extreme nature. When UEFA announced its decision, the reaction was enthusiastic in both countries with much being said of the impact which organising these European championships would have in the two countries’ economies, only comparable in the historic sense with the effect the construction of the pyramids had on Egypt’s growth. Sports journalists, who normally avoid matters of the economy, were most outspoken in estimating that Euro 2012 in Poland alone meant investments exceeding EUR 30 bln, which would be augmented by further tens of billions to be spent in Ukraine. In those calculations everything was thrown into one basket: stadiums, hotels, airports and motorways. All and any mention of the fact that most of those investments were not related in any way to Euro 2012 and had earlier figured in national economic growth plans, though at later planned dates of implementation. It became fashionable to claim that by organising the championships Poland and Ukraine would experience an impulse in civilisation comparable with the two countries’ acceptance of Christianity more than a thousand years ago.

The upsurge of the initial high wave of enthusiasm has been followed by the present wave of catastrophic forebodings, in which sports journalists again lead the field, but this time Poland and Ukrainian writers are being echoed by those in Italy and Britain. The picture painted is that of catastrophe in implementing Euro 2012 and suggestions, supposedly leaked by UEFA, that the decision is brewing either to shift the whole event to another country or to introduce fundamental changes, e.g. to radically increase the number of matches played in Poland at Ukraine’s cost.

Emotions are what any sport feeds on, so it is hardly surprising that opinions delivered by sports journalists are inevitably more emotional than those voiced be economists. Though a multitude of problems still have to be resolved, it would be quite wrong to suppose that Poland and Ukraine might agree to shifting the whole event elsewhere.

When tackling a happening of such scope, less and more important subjects must be distinguished. Efficient organisation of Euro 2012 requires the construction of several stadiums, without which matches could not be held. A specific minimum number of infrastructure investments must be performed especially urban transportation in the cities where matches will be played, the hotel network must be enlarged wherever it is insufficient, and also appropriate steps taken to ensure security, good communication and efficient functioning of the whole event, e.g. by creating appropriate IT systems. Poland and Ukraine will, probably, be able to meet those targets on time, which is far from suggesting that everything will go smoothly, without heated quarrels with UEFA and last-minute lifelines cast on troubled waters. On the other hand, however, it is unlikely that the two countries will deliver, on the dot, all the facilities they additionally promised but which are not absolutely imperative for Euro 2012 to proceed smoothly: new underground railway lines, thousands of kilometres of fine motorways, high-speed railways and glittering, new airport terminals. They will all gradually appear but few will come on line by 2012

From what I said it is evident that success in staging these European football championships will not be a major economic, business and political milestone. But preparing Euro 2012 with the utmost efficiency will be a kind of jointly passed exam in practical organisation of a unique happening on a truly huge scale.

The first fact to be proved is that modern countries which want to continue moving along the road of economic growth and increase their economic and political status can organise a complex event which requires a substantial minimum of institutional efficiency and ability to manage large projects. The second fact is to display is that they are able to cooperate smoothly when organizing such a happening – (should that be impossible then what would be the sense of bringing Ukraine into the fold of the European Union?) Thirdly, the must prove their ability to mobilise and deliver on time imperative investments in the infrastructure – (otherwise how could private investors be convinced that motorways would ever be constructed in Poland and conditions created for the safe construction of large factories in Ukraine?)

In a word, success in organising Euro 2012 is needed by both countries to prove they can face up to the challenges of the contemporary world. It is also required as a test of confidence in their own strength and also of the feasibility of long-term economic and political cooperation. Passing this test will not cause a sudden change in the countenance of the two counties but will surely clear the way for their future growth.