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22/07/2002- FREE TEXT FOR GENERAL PUBLICATION The Spanish Ministry of Public Works considers the Olivença ("Ajuda") Bridge as International The Spanish Ministry officially considers the N.ª Sr.ª da Ajuda Bridge or Olivença Bridge the «Puente Internacional sobre el Guadiana». This information is available on the official page of this Spanish department on the Internet (www.mfom.es), in the section "presupuestos e inversiones", in an article "Actuaciones en 2002" of the "Dirección General de Carreteras", for the Badajoz province. Despite the bridge 'Ponte da Ajuda' being classified by the Portuguese State, through the Decree no.9 47.508 of 24/01/1967, as a Monument of Public Interest, the Spanish Ministry of Public Works has integrated the reconstruction work in its programme as an "Intervention of Architectural Heritage and Public Works with Heritage or Historic Value". This understanding of the Spanish Public Works appears to justify the interpretation of 15 July 2001 at the 12th Lisbon Borough Civil Court about an eventual intervention by Spain regarding the Ajuda Bridge. this Court determined then, that the Portuguese State and the IPPAR should abstain from issuing an opinion concerning the "Project for recuperation and rehabilitation of the Old Ajuda Bridge for pedestrians and touristic use" presented by the Spanish "Dirección General de Carreteras", and abstain from authorizing the respective work, with the argument that such participation by Spain in the project placed in danger Portuguese rights over Olivença. As, meanwhile, the Government led by António Guterres appealed against this judicial decision, which at this moment has reached the Supreme Courts of Justice, the Spanish government continues to base itself on the decision of 12 January 2000 by the Mixed Technical Commission between Portugal and Spain for Accesses South of the Douro, when it was agreed that Spain, through the Dirección General de Carreteras of the Ministry of Public Works, would proceed to rebuild the old Ajuda Bridge, for cultural and pedestrian access. It will be remembered that in 1994, Durão Barroso, was then the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who decided to suspend the "cross-border" project of rebuilding the bridge , that had been agreed at the Luso-Spanish Summit of 1990 , equally with the argument that it would put into question Portuguese rights over Olivença. Ironically, the problem returns now, eight years later , to the hands of Durão Barroso as Prime Minister. Although the Portuguese Ministry of Public Works, presented its appeal at the end of September 2001 on the express instructions of the Government, and having affirmed that Spain in soliciting an opinion from IPPAR to rebuild the bridge placed itself in a position of fragility before Portugal, so that there is no danger of lesion to Portuguese rights over Olivença, the official consideration by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works over the international character of the Ajuda Bridge leaves no room for doubt what is the interest and motivation behind the Spanish objectives in rebuilding the monument. Informação OlivençaNet- Rua Carlos Eugénio, L. 30 - 1.º Esq.º 2410 - 043 Leiria Tel.: 244824848 / 965565877 Fomento espanhol