Work on Kiev's Euro 2012 stadium restarted on eve of Platini visit

 Ukraine and Poland were named co-hosts for the prestige tournament in April 2007. Since then little preparation work has been done in Ukraine, calling into question the former Soviet republic's ability to hold its share of the games.

 Platini said on Saturday at Euro 2008 in Vienna that a final decision on the fate of Ukraine and Poland would be made in September. He named stadiums in the two capitals, Warsaw and Kiev, essential for the tournament.

 One of the sorest spots in the Ukrainian Euro 2012 effort has been the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, the scheduled site of tournament final.

 Efforts by the Ukrainian government over the last year even to begin an overhaul of the Soviet-era stadium have stagnated in lawsuits and recriminations between two corporate clans disputing land ownership in the Ukrainian capital.

 Construction teams on Wednesday had begun work on removal of a partially-built shopping centre next to the stadium, after more than a year of suits and countersuits on ownership of land next to the stadium.

 Two cranes and a team of labourers were slowly breaking up the shopping centre's reinforced concrete, and preparing ground for the arrival of more heavy equipment, officials at the Kiev city construction company Kievmistbud said.

 The 90,000-seat Olympic Stadium per UEFA standards could not be evacuated safely if the shopping centre was left in place.

 Among other changes needed in the structure are repairs to substantial cracks in girders holding up the stands, and replacement of currently primitive fan facilities with modern shops, restaurants, parking, security, and even bathrooms.

 Ukraine's government attempted to begin breaking up the shopping centre framework in March, but a Kiev judge issued a court order banning the work.

 Platini, at the head of a UEFA delegation, is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian footballing officials in Kiev on Thursday, after a visit to co-hosts Poland.

 Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko also will discuss Euro 2012 preparations with Platini, according to a statement from Yushchenko's office.

 Domestic and international media reported in the run-up to the Platini visit that the UEFA senior leadership was considering reducing the number of games held in Ukraine during Euro 2012, or to move the event elsewhere, with Spain reportedly in the running.

 Platini issued a stern warning to the two countries in January and said on Saturday that "in September...we will make a final decision."     "We will do everything we can to ensure Poland and Ukraine host it and there is no backup plan. The only reason for us to decide not to have the tournament in Poland and Ukraine would be if there were no stadiums in the two capitals," Platini said.

 Platini and other members of the UEFA are scheduled to travel to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, after visiting Ukraine.

DPA