400 million zloty financing agreed for Kraków to host 2023 European Games

The European Games will take place in Kraków and its surrounding region as planned in 2023 after representatives of the government and local authorities signed a letter of intent agreeing how to split the estimated 400 million zloty (€88 million) needed to host the event.

Doubts had lingered over the fate of the games since it was awarded to Kraków and the Małopolska province in 2019, with the city’s mayor warning that he would pull out if he did not receive assurances of government support.

But yesterday it was announced that the sports and tourism ministry would cover half of the costs, to come from the 2022 and 2023 budgets, reports RMF24. The remaining sum will be divided between the budget of the city and the province, both of which will pay a maximum of 100 million zloty.

“We have the most wonderful fans in the world, so why shouldn’t we have the most wonderful European Games, which everyone will remember with enormous pride and satisfaction?” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki after the letter of intent was signed. “The European Games will be one of the most importing events in the world in 2023.”

Morawiecki also alluded to the row surrounding the organisation of the games as well as more general divides in Polish politics and society: “In antiquity, when the [Olympic] Games began, all disputes were extinguished. Let sport be a field of social life in which we can get on with each other.”

Kraków mayor Jacek Majchrowski, who is officially politically independent but a critic of the government, said that the games “will bring concrete benefits to Kraków’s residents, in the form of renovations, modernisation of roads and pavements and subsidies for strategic city investments”.

“We are also counting on investment in Kraków’s sporting infrastructure,” he added. “I believe that the gains for the city and residents will exceed the costs.”

Witold Kozłowski, head of the Małopolska province, said that the letter of intent will allow the organisers to concentrate on preparing for the event “to make it a strong impulse for the region’s tourism and accelerate its economic development”.

Yesterday’s announced followed legislation signed by the the president, Andrzej Duda, last month paving the way for the games to be held. “Not only will the most illustrious sportspeople come to us, but many sporting venues and transport links will be modernised,” said Duda at the time.

The European Games, which were first held in 2015 and are overseen by the European Olympic Committees (EOC), see athletes from across the continent compete in a range of disciplines. Previous editions were held in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Minsk, Belarus.

The 2023 edition is due to take place in Kraków as well as other venues in Małopolska and the neighbouring province of Silesia between 21 June and 2 July. There had been suggestions that if no agreement was reached it might be moved completely to Silesia, where the city of Katowice was initially Poland’s host candidate.

Twelve sports have so far been confirmed, including Olympic disciplines such as athletics, boxing, modern pentathlon, table tennis and triathlon, as well as more recent additions like Muay Thai, sport climbing, teqball and summer ski jumping.

As well as modernisation of the Wisła Kraków football stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies will be held, and other venues in the city, money will also be spent on other sites in Tarnów, Krynica-Zdrój, and Zakopane, and an indoor athletics area is to be built in Chorzów in Silesia, reports Onet.

Main image credit: Polska Organizacja Turystyczna (under CC BY 3.0 PL)

Ben Koschalka

Ben Koschalka is a translator and senior editor at Notes from Poland. Originally from Britain, he has lived in Kraków since 2005.