Polish minister expects Euro 2012 to generate jobs

Warsaw, April 6 (IANS) Polish Labour Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz feels unemployment will fall due to the Euro 2012 as the football championships will stimulate the economy and provide work for some of the unemployed.

According to the estimates published by the ministry Thursday, unemployment fell to 13.3 percent in March compared to 13.5 percent in February.

"The decrease in unemployment is related to seasonal changes, characteristic of the Polish labour market. We have recorded more jobs in construction, agriculture, gardening and forestry," the minister was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

"Employment is going to grow, especially in logistics, transport and hotel and restaurant sectors. The tourist industry should also benefit."

Kosiniak-Kamysz admitted that some of the Euro 2012 jobs will be seasonal and some of the workers will need to find a new occupation after the tournament has ended. However, there is a chance that the economy stimulated by the championships will absorb some of the unemployed.

According to a budget forecast, unemployment should decrease to 12.3 percent at the end of the year, the minister informed

Euro 2012, to take place from June 8 to July 1, 2012, will be co-hosted by two countries. The matches will be played in Poland's Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk and Ukraine's Kiev, Lvov, Kharkov and Donetsk.