THE BRIDGE

The construction of the new Danube bridge between Vidin (Bulgaria) and Calafat (Romania) is one of the biggest undertaking, beggining in Bulgaria in the last decades. Through it will encrease international and regional trafic between Southeast and Central Europe. The local economy will feel the advantage from the construction of the bridge with direct infuse of 60 M euro and opening of 700 new working places.The web-site aims to increase the informational level and transparency in connection with the bridge construction and it is a part of a project for independant civil monitoring.

LAST NEWS

01.07.2008: The Coalition for Civil Monitoring presented its first monitoring report in Vidin

On 01.07.2008 the Coalition for civil monitoring of the construction of Bridge Vidin - Calafat and its adjoined activities presented its first annual monitoring report at a press conference in Vidin, with the participation of local, regional and national media. The text of the Report [pdf].

12.06.2008: The first piles of the Danube Bridge 2 were driven

The Italians have driven the first pile of the railway trestle of the Danube Bridge 2, informed engineer Constantin Zhiponov, deputy chef of the Project Management and Control Unit. Through super sound control, the confirmation has been found of the indicators of the preliminary geological research, without which the project will not receive approval.

27.05.2008: The French Agency for Development is inspecting activities for Danube Bridge 2 construction

In the time of the meeting between the head of the mission Nikola Serie with the Mayor of Vidin Rumen Vidov it became clear that the Vidin municipality issued 8 permits for construction, connected with the Bridge construction. The Mayor Vidov stressed that Municipal administration will continue to offer assistance to the implementing company in the frameworks of the Bulgarian law and will strictly monitor implementation of all legal decrees about access to information and issuing of permissions.

24.04.2008: New engagements of Vidin Municipality in connection with Danube Bridge II construction

In connection with the implementation of the Municipality of Vidin project "Danube Bridge 2", one of the regular monthly working meetings of the operational groups, engaged in the project implementation ., took part yesterday, 23.04.2008 г. In the time of the the discussion the Vidin Municipality was asked to provide terrains to be used as temporary places and storage in the time of the construction. The second request is for agricultural areas to be recultivated. These terrains are in the low parts, which become swampy in the time of high waters. The implementing company - FCC engaged itself to prepare technical projects for the recultivation. In the time of the meeting together with the representatives of the National Company Railway Infrastructure - section Vratsa and of the Railway station Vidin, a observation was made of the former cargo railway station at Vidin ferry, which would be used in the time of the construction. (source www.vidin.info)

23.04.2008: The Supreme Administrative Court set the date for the lawsuit on DECF's complaint for October

Surprisingly late, the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria set the date of the lawsuit on DECF's complaint about the refusal of the Minister of Transport to provide the contract for the construction of Vidin - Calafat Bridge. The lawsuit, which is registered in SAC as number 2495/2008, will be looked on 16.10.2008. This is more than 9 months after the registration of the complaint.

11.04.2008: New working schedule of the Bridge

The new working schedule of the Second Danube Bridge construction at Vidin foresees the object to be built on time, despite of the delay according to the Bulgarian deputy minister of transport Mrs. Vesela Gospodinova while in Vidin. She participated in a meeting, which was devoted to the project development, together with representatives of the European Commission, the Secretary General of the Romanian Ministry of Transport - Mr. Septimiu Buzashu, the member of the Bulgarian Parliament Mihail Mikov, the regional governor of Vidin district Krystio Spasov, the mayor of Vidin Rumen Vidov and mayor of Calafat Petre Traistaru. According to the new schedule, the construction works will start on 15th of April, when at first the appurtenances on the river bank will be constructed. During April 2010 the construction of the Bridge must be completed, specified Gospodinova. The representatives of DECF were officially invited and they took part of the meeting. All participants had the opportunity to acknowledge with the project's progress on place. Photos from the meeting and from on place visit.

25.03.2008: The Ford Company as a reason to build a bridge between Calafat and Vidin

Among the obligations that Romania will assume once they sign the contract with the American motor company "Ford" are programs studying and financing projects for infrastructure, according to the newspaper "Romania Liberia" in an online edition from Monday. Therefore the road from Craiova-Pitesti and Craiova - Calafat and the following bridge that will connect Calafat, Romania and Vidin, Bulgaria are necessary infrastructure projects needed to sustain the activity for Ford announced the president of AVAS, Teodor Atanasiu.

15.01.2008: The construction of Danube Bridge 2 is four months late

The construction of the Danube Bridge 2 has been delayed by 4 months due to a discrepency between Bulgarian and Romanian legislation according to the Bulgarian Minister of Transportation, Peter Mutavichev.

27.12.2007: The Bulgarian Ministry of Transportation refuses access to information

The Bulgarian Ministry of Transportation refuses to give up access to the contract for construction of the Bridge,signed with the Spanish company FCC. See the text of the rejection here [pdf, in Bulgarian]

21.11.2007: The European Commission welcomes our initiative

The European Commission welcomes the initiative of the Danube Euroregional Cilvil Forum for civil monitoring of the Second Danube Bridge construction. See the letter from Brussels here [pdf]

15.10.2007: The building of the Bridge infrastructure will be contracted

On the 25th of October the contract with the executor of the project for building the infrastructure of the Vidin - Calafat Bridge will be signed. This information came to Vidin from the Bulgarian minister of transportation Peter Mutavchiev after a meeting with his Romanian colleague Ludvig Orban. (source: "Vidin" newspaper)

09.10.2007: FCC will build the adjoining infrastructure of the Danube Bridge 2

The Spanish company FCC (Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas), which won the tender for Danube Bridge 2 construction, announced that it will build the adjoining infrastructure. The contract is for 75.1 M euro and includes the construction of the approaches to the rail way and the road, three buildings, lights, telecommunications, and trade part. (source "Dnevnik" newspaper).

01.10.2007: Holding "Roads" well be the sub-contractor of the Danube Bridge 2

The company "Vidopatsroy", which is a part of the holding "Patista" (roads), will be a sub-contractor in the Danube Bridge 2 construction, chosen by the firm. At the moment the last specifying conversations with the chosen implementer - the Spanish company FCC are finishing. The "Vidopytstroy" will be included in building some of the sites. At the moment they are engaged with creating the grounds for preparation of the bridge construction. It is expected that towards the end of the month, actual construction shall begin. (source "Dnevnik" newspaper)

21.05.2007: Eight companies offered for the construction of the adjuring infrastructure of the Vidin-Calafat Bridge

Eight companies/international consortiums applied for Implementer of the construction of the road and rail infrastructure on the Bulgarian bank, adjoined to the new bridge on the Danube River. (source: Ministry of Transportation)


13.05.2007: Breaking ground of the Vidin - Calafat Bridge

The Bulgarian premier minister Sergey Stanishev turned the symbolical first sod, thereby breaking ground on the project. Bridge Vidin - Calafat will have four tracks and one rail line. The new "Danube Bridge" construction is one of the most complicated and large projects implemented in Bulgaria in the last few decades. Through it, the international and regional traffic and trade between Southeast and Central Europe will increase. The local economy will feel the advantage from the construction of the bridge with direct involvment from the millions of euro and offerings of new employment.

30.01.2007: The Project Danube Bridge 2 Starts Today


The project "Building of New Combined Bridge (Road and Railway) over the River Danube near Vidin - Calafat" starts today after the signing of the contract for independent projecting and building supervision and the contract for projecting and building. The ceremony attended the Minister of Transport Peter Mutafchiev, parliament deputies, the Head of the Delegation of the EU Commission in Bulgaria Michael Humphreys, The Ambassador of The Republic of France Yves Saint-Geours, and The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain Fernando Arias Gonzalez. More...

DANUBE BRIDGE 2: HRONOLOGY [in Bulgarian]