The European Commission (EC) will extend with two years the completion term for the bridge over the Danube, between Calafat in Romania and Vidin, Bulgaria, according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport, quoted by Novinite.com.

The bridge was set to be completed by October 2010, but has been delayed due to technical difficulties, until October 2012.

Around 63 percent of the bridge, which will facilitate traffic from Central Europe to Greece through western Romania and Bulgaria, are reported to have been completed.

Romania and Bulgaria have signed an agreement to build Vidin-Calafat bridge in March 2000, but delayed the start of the project due to insufficient funding. Total project costs totaled EUR 226 million.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: sxc.hu)