Construction of 2nd Danube Bridge May Start by Summer

Starting the construction on the second Danube Bridge at Vidin-Kalafat is a priority in the bilateral relations of Bulgaria and Romania, which needs to be solved in the near future.

This stance expressed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev was confirmed by his Romanian host and counterpart Calin Popescu Tariceanu during an official visit to Bucharest.
Stanishev said that the two countries have to decide on the companies to begin construction by this summer.
"It is not normal to have only one bridge over the Danube, at Russe, connecting the two countries," the Bulgarian prime minister said, adding that the second one has to be ready as soon as possible.

Last year, Bulgaria's Transport Ministry announced that work on the second bridge over the Danube would begin in 2006, after the European Commission was to have approved the list of construction firms entitled to authorization to participate in the construction.
Bulgaria is to hire a company to begin construction on the bridge, which should be ready by the end of 2009.
The project will cost about EUR 226 M, including EUR 60 M financing by the Bulgarian government. The rest of the funding is to be provided through loans from the European Investment Bank, the French Agency for Development and the German Institution for Reconstruction and Development.

Romania is to cover expenses for the road infrastructure on its territory and its south neighbor is to pay for the construction of the bridge and for the infrastructure on its territory.
The bridge will be a four-lane highway with a railroad as well.
The two prime ministers also discussed joint trade projects, economic reforms and border security.