Relu Fenechiu who went to Calafat Tuesday to check the works progress at the Vidin-Calafat road-rail bridge, announced that the bridge would be operated by a joint venture company between Romania and Bulgaria to be set-up before June 14.
According to the minister, the works are almost completed.
"There are still some technical details that will be ready in the near future, and here I am referring to the works performed on the catenary line (power supply wire for traffic), there is a difference in levels of only 10 inches between the Romanian and Bulgarian catenary, which will lose over a distance of a hundred yards, " Fenechiu said.
He said he had received assurances that until June 9 the cabins for the Border Police personnel would be fitted for both the Romanian and the Bulgarian sides.
"Although initially, hoping in the accession of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area these cabins were no longer needed, the manufacturer has assured us that they will be functional before the opening date, ie on June 9," Relu Fenechiu said, who announced that the fee for crossing the bridge will be 6 Euros.
The Transport Minister said that there have been some problems reported with the quality of the railway and road infrastructure, and therefore he wanted that together with the representatives of the construction company and the CNADNR , they should take all measures so that the problems be amended by the inauguration..
President Traian Băsescu signed on may 22, the law to ratify the agreement between Romania and Bulgaria regarding the set-up of a mixed company which will operate the new road and railway bridge of Calafat Vidin.
As estimates show, a number of 100.000 vehicues would cross the bridge every year.
The bridge will have two traffic lanes in each direction, a railway line, two sidewalks and a bicycle track. The construction costs, which by 2011 had been estimated at about EUR 225 million, will probably exceed EUR 250 million to complete the project. The project received free loans and grants from the EU, the European Investment Bank, the French Development Agency and the German Credit Institution for Reconstruction and Development
