The Danube is Europe's longest river after the Volga still bears the scars of the Iron Curtain, which partitioned the river for half a century. The historical role of the river as a cultural bridge between East and West and the main transport corridors across the continent to a large extent has been suspended. Both sides of the river have evolved quite differently and they lacked a common future.

Source: "Ðóññêàÿ ãàçåòà"