The construction of a bridge across the Danube, connecting Bulgaria to Romania, was going to further the ties between the two countries, Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported.

On January 30 the agreement for the construction of the facility was signed. After nearly 15 years of negotiations, Spanish company FCC Construccion won the tender, Die Presse said. The project needs to be concluded by 2010.

Over 10 years the two newly accepted EU member countries failed reaching an agreement on the location of the bridge, the report said. In 2000 Bulgaria managed to get Romanian approval on the connection of Vidin and Calafat.

Danube Bridge II, part of the European transport corridor IV, is to receive significant EU funding. European Commission would provide 70 million euro, Die Presse reported.

Some analysers said that the project would take longer to execute than initially planned. They doubted if the plan of the Spanish company could be carried out, the report said.