Hollande vows 'all necessary measures' to stop Euro 2016 disruption

Tulle (France) (AFP) – French President Francois Hollande said he was ready to take “all necessary measures” to ensure rolling transport strikes don’t disrupt the smooth running of the month-long Euro 2016 football extravaganza.

“I will be paying close attention tomorrow and if decisions need to be made, they will be made,” Hollande said Thursday on the eve of the tournament’s opening match between France and Romania.

Rail workers have threatened fresh strike action on Friday on the lines serving Paris’ Stade de France where the kick-off game will take place.

“Rest assured that public services will be provided and that the state will assume its full responsibilities,” the president told reporters in his heartland of Tulle in the Correze.

The four-yearly football tournament comes as France is grappling with unresolved strikes over the government’s controversial labour reforms.

A train strike was in its ninth day Thursday, while visitors to the capital were also greeted by piles of uncollected rubbish.

Hollande said the government was prepared to “take all necessary measures” to accommodate and transport spectators attending the matches, which will be held under stringent security measures in the wake of last year’s jihadist attacks in the capital.

France has mustered up to 90,000 police and private guards to provide security for the tournament.