UEFA officials ended a week-long site trip to Hungary on Friday, saying they were "comfortable" with plans by the ex-communist state to stage the European soccer championship in 2008. Hungary, one of two solo bids among seven, would be the first former Soviet satellite to host Europe's premier soccer event. Hungary and Russia are the only solo bidders for Euro 2008. Along with the joint bids from Scotland and Ireland, Croatia and Bosnia, Austria and Switzerland, Greece and Turkey and a four-nation bid from Scandinavia.
"We feel better informed about Hungary's bid and more comfortable with the proposals," UEFA's director of communications Mike Lee told a news conference. "We had tough questions and we got good answers. It's very important there is a high level of political commitment behind the bid, but there is clearly a lot more to be done."
Hungary's new centre-left government, facing budget problems as it tries to steer the economy towards European Union and euro membership, has pledged to back the bid with 500 billion forints ($2.02 billion) to improve transport links and build hotels.
That sum would also include 120 billion forints ($484 million) for five new stadiums - in Budapest, Debrecen, Kaposvar, Miskolc and Szeged - and the complete renovation of three others in Budapest, Szekesfehervar and Gyor.
Hungary has based its bid on its location near Europe's geographical heart, bridging East and West. "The bid is a vision for the future, for Hungary's football and for the country, a new (post-communist) country and a new economy, building a gateway to a new Europe," Lee said.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
