BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - The Slovak government said it would conclude an agreement with Hungary to rebuild a symbolically important bridge over the Danube River which was destroyed in World War Two. Relations between the two Central European neighbours have improved since a reform-minded Slovak government came to power after defeating authoritarian Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar in elections last September. Meciar was accused by Hungary, the European Union and the United States of failing to show enough respect for the rights of Slovakia‘s ethnic Hungarian minority. The EU has promised to help fund reconstruction of the bridge, which would link the Slovak town of Sturovo with Esztergom, once the mediaeval capital of Hungary. Slovakia broke free from centuries of often repressive Hungarian rule as part of the Allied imposed peace settlement after World War One. During World War Two, Hungary took back parts of Slovakia but lost them again when the war ended. Following population transfers involving tens of thousands of Slovaks living in Hungary and Hungarians living in Slovakia, communist rule brought greater stability. But Slovakia‘s remaining 500,000 Hungarians, 10 percent of the population, have long complained of discrimination — especially in the use of their language for official and educational purposes. The current coalition government, which contains an ethnic Hungarian party, recently passed a language law to remedy the situation.