Lisbon: One month before Euro 2004 kicks off the Portuguese have mixed feelings about the tournament amid worries over costs and possible violence.

While the championship will bring in much-needed tourism revenue, there are complaints that hundreds of millions of euros have been wasted on stadiums and infrastructure.

“It’s too much money, and it has been spent badly,” Christina Manha, a 30-year-old medical assistant, said in a sun-washed Lisbon square.

Instead of building stadiums, the money would have been better spent on improving medical care, education and children’s programmes, she said.

The 16-team tournament, which runs from June 12 through July 4, is one of the world’s biggest sporting events. It is expected to attract about 1.5 million visitors to the nation of 10 million people.

Given the tension surrounding the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq and the March 11 train bombing in Madrid, holding the tournament might not be a good idea, according to a 68-year-old retired factory worker.

“Here, so far, nothing has happened,” said the man, who asked to remain anonymous. “Now, I don’t know.”

Half of the Portuguese people believe the tournament is not worth the investment, according to a poll published in Publico newspaper on Tuesday, while nearly 60 percent think the event could attract a terrorist attack.

Portugal’s optimism has soured since 1999 when it won the right to host the tournament and the Iberian nation was riding high after years of economic growth above the European Union average (EU).

Portugal had the EU’s worst-performing economy last year as the government struggled to close a budget gap that breached its euro currency zone limits in 2001.

Portugal has spent more than 600 million euros ($708.5 million) building or revamping 10 stadiums in eight cities. The government is paying a quarter and providing interest rate subsidies for clubs and cities.

Government officials see the tournament as a way to boost Portugal’s international profile and polish its image as a tourist haven of beaches, vineyards, castles and sunshine.

With the authorities preparing for potential hooliganism, Eduardo Mendes, a retired mathematics professor from the city of Coimbra, where England play Switzerland on June 17, said he was a bit fearful of having so many fans in country.

However, he doubted anything bad would happen.

“We all know that soccer has its fanatics,” Mendes said.

Quintino Gomes Branca, 40, said the championships would improve Portugal’s economy by bringing in more tourism and investment, and raising its global profile. “It’s good because it’s the first time Portugal has organised an event of this magnitude,” said Gomes Branca, who serves in the navy.

Mendes also predicted the event would be good public relations for the country.

“It will make a clear distinction between Portugal and (neighbouring) Spain. Foreigners at times think that Portugal is Spain,” he said.

But almost half of the Portuguese believe the championships will do nothing to raise the country’s international image (REUTERS)