Bucharest mayor presents strategy for Euro 2020

Bucharest is one of the 13 cities that will host football matches during the European Championships in 2020 (Euro 2020), and thus the local authorities are trying to get the Romanian capital ready for the big sports event. Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea has recently met with UEFA representatives of the Organizing Committee and representatives of the Romanian Football Federation to discuss an action plan. “This project is a matter of national pride, which is why both we and the other public institutions with responsibilities in organization must take all the necessary measures so that Bucharest is in no way inferior to the other participating cities,” Firea said. Bucharest must modernize its road infrastructure by 2020, according to UEFA’s request. In this sense, one of the projects refers to the rehabilitation and upgrading of the streets near the National Arena, the stadium that will host the football matches. Work on the Basarabia and Chisinau boulevards, as well as those on the Pantelimon Avenue, are nearly 70% done, the mayor said. Moreover, the public transportation system in Bucharest should also be configured, so that it can carry all the spectators. Gabriela Firea said that the City Hall would organize an international tender for the purchase of 500 new buses, and the Bucharest public transport company RATB’s fleet would be modernized and repaired with funds that have already been allocated. The local authorities also plan to set up some bike trails to and from the stadium, and arrange a special place for bicycles near the National Arena. The officials also discussed about the people with disabilities’ access to the stadium. The National Arena currently 125 seats for people in wheelchairs, as well as access facilities for them. In terms of emergency services, the mayor said that the City Hall had completed the Integrated Municipal Center for Emergencies, which will become operational by the end of this year. The new center brings together all the institutions involved in emergency management in Bucharest and Ilfov county. Metro line between Bucharest train station and airport won’t be ready in time for Euro 2020 Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (Photo source: Gabriela Firea on Facebook)