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'Poland delivered' during Euro 2012, says President Komorowski

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 03.07.2012 08:01
Poland's president and prime minister met with the national football squad, Monday, expressing satisfaction that Poland rose to the “beautiful but not easy challenge” of co-hosting Euro 2012.

President
President Komorowski (right) with PM tusk (centre) give thanks to Poland's team captain Jakub Błaszczykowski: photo - PAP/Pawel Supernak

“We delivered: we rose to this beautiful, but not easy challenge. We may be proud of the Poland seen through the eyes of Europe and the world; as a country of hospitable, joyful, easygoing people who know how to enjoy themselves,” President Komorowski said the day after the three-week tournament ended.

President Komorowski gave his thanks to the centre-right, Civic Platform-led government for “brave decisions, that contributed to the efficient running of the tournament.”

Prime Minister Donald Tusk offered a special thank you to all the Euro 2012 volunteers, whose activity “paved the way for the event’s organizational success.”

“Little coverage has been devoted to the hundreds of great people who made slogans such as “We are all hosts,” “Feel at home” come to life,” Tusk said.

The head of government also wished Poland's national football squad – who failed to qualify in the group stages and finished at the bottom of Group A – would escape their qualifying group for World Cup taking place in Brazil in 2014.

The qualifying rounds begin in September when Poland take on Montenegro in a group which includes England and the other Euro 2012 co-host, Ukraine.

Fans give thumbs up

Seventy percent of Euro 2012 football fans coming to Poland from abroad hold a favourable opinion of their stay, shows a survey by the Polish Tourist Organisation.

Over 80 percent of the respondents said they would return to the country in the future.

Polish hospitality and good organization were mentioned by the respondents, says the organisation's deputy director, Bartłomiej Walas.

"Our efforts at changing the image of our country have proved successful. This can be seen in the declarations made by visitors, most of whom stated they certainly would return to Poland. Other surveys among football fans have also shown that many of them will come back for sightseeing," he told Polish Radio.

“Although it is difficult to speculate, I believe a campaign promoting Poland could have cost several millions of zloty, but it wouldn't have been as effective,” says Foreign Ministry spokesman Marcin Bosacki.

“The tournament has made it possible for thousands of people to see the good side of Poland and [visitors] will pass on their positive remarks about the country to other people back at home." (pg/aba)

tags: Euro 2012
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