site.btaBulgaria, Romania to Conduct Joint Feasibility Study for Third Bridge in Shared Danube Section

March 29 (BTA Special Correspondent Antoan Nikolov) -Bulgaria and Romania have undertaken to conduct feasibility studies for the location of a future third bridge across their shared section of the River Danube, Prime Ministers Boyko Borissov and Viorica Dancila told a news briefing at the Victoria Palace in Bucharest on Friday.

They met the media after a joint meeting of the two governments earlier in the day.

The two countries have yet to agree on one of the following locations: Oryahovo-Bechet, Nikopol-Turnu Magurele, Svishtov-Zimnicea, Rousse-Giurgiu, and Silistra-Calarasi. Borissov pointed out that it is extremely important for Romania to dredge the Danube and deepen the river bed so as to enable the carriage of heavier cargos. He also commented on the variousoptions for siting the new bridge. European funds can be used
for the Rousse-Giurgiu location because it is part of a Europeantransport corridor. As regards Svishtov or Nikopol, Bulgaria can possibly offer public-private partnership. Borissov added that the existing bridge at Rousse must be overhauled and both countries will pool efforts to that end.

Currently, only two bridges span the river between Bulgaria and Romania: at Rousse-Giurgiu (in operation since 1954) and at Vidin-Calafat (commissioned in 2013).

The Bulgarian and Romanian government delegations also agreed on implementing the joint initiatives to improve navigation conditions on the shared Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube and transport connectivity between the two countries. Borissov pointed out that SME promotion is exceedingly important for the development of business between the two countries. Concerning the energy sector, he hopes that ground for the gas interconnector with Greece will be broken in June.

Dancila said that two-way trade had increased considerably in the past seven years and exceeded 4,000 million euro in 2018. In addition, the two countries have many projects in transport,
energy, local administration and cross-border cooperation. She spoke of the excellent relations with Bulgaria, which she described as a key partner of Romania in the region, also noting the projects in energy, transport and cross-border cooperation.

The joint meeting of the Bulgarian and Romanian governments was followed by the signing of three intergovernmental documents: a Memorandum of Agreement in the Field of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, an Agreement on Cooperation in Emergency Situations, and a Memorandum of Agreement on the Implementation of the Joint Initiatives to Improve Navigation Conditions on theShared Bulgarian-Romanian Section of the River Danube. IG/BR