RO officials play down delays in organising EURO 2020 events

EURO 2020 will take place in Bucharest under “the best possible conditions assumed by the Romanian state,” Romania’s minister of youth and sport, Ionut Stroe, said in a press conference held at the Government’s headquarters after a meeting of the Inter-ministerial Committee for the preparation and organization of the final tournament of the European Football Championship.

The “best possible conditions” differ, however, from the initial plan and some uncertainty is related to some locations still (or not even) under construction.

"We mark from here, from the Government’s headquarters, the entry into the final phase of preparation of EURO 2020, an event of utmost importance for our country,” Ionut Stroe stated, quoted by Wall-street.ro.

He explained that the work on the railway line that will connect the main Bucharest airport (in Otopeni) with the central rail station and the secondary airport (Baneasa, close to Otopeni) that will be mainly used for supporters, has begun.

For legal reasons, however, the works at one of the stadiums to be used for EURO 2020, Dinamo, have not started yet.

The new arena will be built on another site, most likely instead of the existing velodrome.

The teams hosted by Bucharest will have to run their training sessions in sport bases around Bucharest - as opposed to the main stadiums in Bucharest proposed initially.

In case the stadiums will be ready in time, they will be added to the training options, the representatives of the Romanian Football Federation said.

(Photo: UEFA Facebook Page)