Drégelypalánk in Hungary and Ipolyhídvég in Slovakia are only a few hundred metres apart as the crow flies, but the lack of a bridge necessitates long journeys to cross the border. “However, this will soon change,” said Péter Szijjártó. “We will build another bridge over the Ipoly River, which will be a huge relief in the lives of border communities.”
Colas is contractor for the scheme.
The authorities have been able to get into a routine laying foundation stones for new crossings, Szijjártó added. In 2010 there were 23 road connections on the Slovak border; now that number has grown to 35. “The good news is that we are ‘staying in training’ as we have six more connections ahead of us by the end of next year in the form of new bridges, road links and ferries,” he said.