Security costs soar for Euro 2008

Additional funds are needed to ensure security at Euro 2008 Keystone

The Swiss government says it expects the cost of maintaining security at the 2008 European football championships to top SFr53 million ($45.7 million).

European football’s governing body, Uefa, criticised the Swiss earlier this year for failing to allocate sufficient funds to guarantee safety at the tournament.

Sports Minister Samuel Schmid said on Friday that the cabinet had agreed that more money was necessary. He added that the government would submit a bill to parliament next year.

At a news conference in the capital, Bern, Schmid said the armed forces would contribute SFr10 million and deploy at least 2,000 soldiers to assist police.

The bulk of the funds – SFr43 million – would come from the federal, cantonal and local authorities, as well as the Swiss Football Association (SFA).

The SFA said it was ready to consider a further contribution, but pointed out that it did not stand to make any money from the tournament.

Last month the SFA said the tournament, which is being hosted jointly by Switzerland and neighbouring Austria, would generate around SFr500 million for local businesses.

First slice

In 2002 parliament approved an initial SFr3.5 million towards the organisation of the tournament.

Parliamentarians made the funding conditional on a SFr7.5 million contribution from Switzerland’s regional and local authorities, and the SFA.

The federal authorities have also set aside SFr14.6 million to ensure stadiums in Basel, Geneva, Bern and Zurich meet Uefa requirements.

However, plans for a new stadium in Zurich have been held up by a series of legal wrangles.

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

Estimated security costs:
SFr3.5 million approved by parliament in 2002
SFr7.5 million from the cantonal authorities and the Swiss Football Association
Total security costs estimated at SFr53 million by the cabinet in December 2004