The Mayor of Bulgaria's border river city of Vidin, Gergo Gergov, admitted he has signed the so-called Act 16 for the use of Danube Bridge 2 with "particular opinion."

Danube Bridge 2 between Bulgaria and Romania is going to be open with a grand ceremony Friday in the presence of a number of the country's and EU senior officials.

The Mayor, elected in the ticket of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, quoted by the Vidin City Hall, says he had some objections in having to act urgently to grant the permit for the mega facility's use.

The grounds for the above are issues with the bridge's adjacent infrastructure.

One of the issues relates to two overpasses above the fast-track railroad as the latter cuts the access of Vidin's Roma district to the city.

The second one pertains to the city's Western Industrial Zone, where the offices and the facilities of a number of companies are located. The road leading to the Zone has been destroyed due to the bridge's construction works.

The City Hall has so far paid over BGN 1 M in compensations to these companies.

Gergov is calling on the State to find solutions for the problems ASAP.

Speaking for the Bulgarian National Radio Thursday, he failed to give a clear explanation as to why he issued the permit for the оператион of the bridge while being fully aware that there is no infrastructure leading to the bridge.

He proposes the establishment of an ad hoc committee to estimate the funds needed to solve the problem.

Act 16 for оператион of new infrastructure in Bulgaria confirms that the facilities are ready to be used and is a permit for such use.

Danube Bridge 2 linking Vidin in Bulgaria and Calafat in Romania is part of the Pan-European transport corridor IV.

The project was started in the late 1990s, but was stalled multiple times.

The only other existing bridge between the two Balkan neighbors, Danube Bridge 1 linking Ruse-Giurgiu, was completed in 1954.

In February 2013, officials stated that Danube Bridge II would be inaugurated on May 9, the Day of Europe, but the ceremony was postponed.

The final section of the bridge was finished in October 2012 and the entire construction between the Bulgarian and the Romanian Danube shores was connected. It was announced earlier that the infrastructure has been completed as of the end of August 2012.

Over 100 000 vehicles are expected to pass through the bridge each year. The facility will pay off in 12 to 15 years, according to Bulgarian authorities.

According to the European Commission, the total value of the project is EUR 282 M.

The bridge will have four lanes, a railroad, a sidewalk, and a bike path.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!