The Slovenian government said on Monday it had ratified an agreement with Croatia on the construction of a new road bridge near the Kastel-Dragonja border crossing point, worth HRK 10 million (€1.3m).

The agreement was signed by the Croatian Minister for the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, and the Slovenian Minister for Infrastructure, Jernej Vrtovec, on 16 April this year.

The agreement provides for the reconstruction of the old bridge, built in 1969, and the construction of a new one as soon as the necessary permits are obtained and a public tender is issued. The value of the work on the two bridges is HRK 12 million (€1.6m), and the two countries will split the cost fifty-fifty.

The reconstruction of the old bridge is expected to increase the safety and flow of traffic between Croatia’s Istria County and the Slovenian Littoral. Butkovic said at the signing ceremony that this was a good example of how to organize the reconstruction of other river bridges along the Croatian-Slovenian border.