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Hungary unveil Euro spending plans

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- The Hungarian government will spend $768 million (euros 637m) on upgrading stadiums and infrastructure for the country's joint bid with Croatia for the 2012 European Championships.

Hungary and Croatia joined Italy and Poland/Ukraine on the UEFA shortlist in November, and Hungary is now prepared to splash out to prop up its bid.

Almost a third of the money will come from central government funds and the rest from the country's national development plan.

The money will be split between upgrading the Ferenc Puskas stadium in Budapest, and stadiums in Gyor and Debrecen.

Hungary is struggling with a huge budget deficit and the government is sure to face opposition criticism about spending such a sum of money, but the President of the National Sport Office defended the decision.

"The Puskas stadium would have to be renovated sooner or later and this means we can possibly hold a Champions League final as well," said Attila Abraham.

However, some confusion surrounds the bid.

The Hungarian Football Association is currently without a president after six board members resigned, thus depriving the president of his mandate.

The board members resigned after a long-running dispute over whether Lothar Matthaeus was the right man for the job of national coach.

Matthaeus himself said that the crisis in the presidency may well lead to the 2012 bid failing.

A new board will not be selected for at least two months.

UEFA will hold a second round of voting about the championships on December 8 this year.

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