The Romanian and Ukrainian Presidents, Basescu and Yushchenko,  have inaugurated the bridge between Sighetu Marmatiei and Solotvino as well as a new border checkpoint, connecting two cities from the two countries after more than half a century.
The bridge over the Tisza, the 20th checkpoint at the 2,500-km Romanian-Ukrainian border, will be open to pedestrians as well as light vehicles, with the local Sighet and Ukrainian authorities being convinced that the new checkpoint will have beneficial effects on the border communities.
The bridge, which was destroyed during World War II, was rebuilt under a Phare project; the Head of the European Commission Delegation in Bucharest Donato Chiarini said the EU granted EUR 298,000 for the reconstruction. The sum granted by the European Union corresponds to 79 per cent of the costs of the works required for the reconstruction of the bridge, the rest being provided by the Romanian Government and the Local Council of Sighetu Marmatiei.