§ Harry CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to rebuild the bridges at Novi Sad; and if he will make a statement. [135599]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe 3 bridges destroyed at Novi Sad during the 1999 NATO intervention have been replaced. However, one of these is a temporary pontoon structure, which will be removed on completion of a €40 million European-Union funded reconstruction of the 'Sloboda' bridge, due in May 2005. The EU also contributed €22 million to the successful clearance of bris and unexploded ordnance from the riverbed, which was completed in June 2003.