ABOARD THE DANUBE RIVER BOAT RAKOCZI (Reuters) - The prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia signed an agreement on Thursday to rebuild a historically important bridge over the river Danube on their common frontier. The signing took place on a cruise ship by the war-damaged remains of the Maria Valeria bridge, built in 1895 when part of what is now Slovakia belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The bridge was never rebuilt and became a symbol of strained Hungarian-Slovak relations. „These ruins have been a symbol of the lack of understanding for 50 years,“ said Slovak Premier Mikulas Dzurinda after signing the document with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban. „We would like to change matters towards understanding.“ The signing ceremony was watched by thousands of Slovaks — many ethnic Hungarians among them — in the village of Sturovo on the left bank of the Danube but only a handful of Hungarians were on the other side. The two countries hope to receive six million euros — one-third of the total reconstruction costs — from the European Union, which is keen to avoid tension at the heart of the continent.