Uefa slams Ukraine 'bandits' for Euro 2012 hotel prices

Mr Platini is on a visit to the host city of Lviv ahead of the championships

The president of Uefa has hit out at "bandits and crooks" for the escalation of Ukrainian hotel prices ahead of the Euro 2012 football championships.

Speaking in Lviv, one of the venues, Michel Platini said the rising cost of accommodation worried him, and called on the authorities to prevent it.

He added that some hotels were not respecting room contracts which had already been agreed.

In response, Ukraine's deputy prime minister pledged to take action.

Speaking alongside Mr Platini, Borys Kolesnikov said he would take appropriate measures within the next 30 days to solve the problem.

"It's annoying to have made a lot of investment and then say to people that they can't come because there are bandits and crooks who want to make a lot of money during this Euro," Mr Platini said.

"You can't change (the price of a room) from 40 euros (£33; $52) to 100 and then up to 500 just like that, from one day to the other, this just is not done," he said.

Mr Platini is due to open a new airport terminal in the city later with President Viktor Yanukovych.

The championships, which are being held in Ukrainian and Polish cities, begin on 8 June.