BRATISLAVA, October 9, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda met with his Hungarian counterpart Janos Martonyi on Sunday — symbolically in the middle of the Maria Valeria Bridge over the Danube River, which connects the cities of Esztergom in Hungary and Sturovo in Slovakia. Exactly ten years ago the bridge was opened following its extensive renovation by the then Prime Minister Dzurinda and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The bridge was destroyed at the end of WWII by retreating German troops. Dzurinda is convinced after the years that money spent to rebuild the Maria Valeria Bridge was the right investment. „Anyone who has eyes and ears and can see and hear how the region came to life thanks to this investment,“ said the Slovak foreign minister after meeting with Martonyi. Construction of more bridges continues, said Dzurinda. „In two days, on October 11, there will be a ceremony to mark the end of works on the bridge over the Ipel River, on the Slovak side at the village called Raros, on the Hungarian side Rarospuszta,“ said Dzurinda.
The former prime minister also mentioned a third bridge. „I would say that this bridge was demanded and anticipated most, it is a renovation of an existing bridge, or a complete reconstruction, between Komarom and Komarno, where intensive work continues,“ he said and added that we must also each find the courage to build spiritual bridges. Work is in progress, the minister said, on other important bilateral projects, such as a motorway link between Kosice and Miskolc and a dual carriageway link between Zvolen and Sahy that will extend to Budapest.
Janos Martony expressed his pleasure over how the relations between Slovakia and Hungarian are developing. „I am convinced that at this time that we understand each other much better, not only politically but also interpersonally. And I am convinced that our relations are much better than some would think in the west,“ the Hungarian minister concluded.
The Maria Valeria Bridge was inaugurated by Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and his Hungarian partner Viktor Orban on October 11, 2001. The construction was mainly financed by the EU that provided 10 million euros and 1.6 million euros was made available jointly by Slovakia and Hungary.
SITA