Big competition for the construction of the SAFE-financed sections of the “Moldovei” highway / The best-known Romanian constructor is missing from the list

For the two express road sections from Suceava to near Siret, 12 associations of builders from Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine signed up. The best-known Romanian builder – the UMB group of companies, the one that builds most of the A7 “Moldovei” Highway – is missing from the list of bidders.

It is about two of the last three “unattacked” sections of the high-speed road that crosses Moldova from North to South, part of the “Moldovei” highway.

“Massive interest for the Suceava-Siret Expressway: 12 bids submitted for the first two lots (43.05 km)”, announced Friday Cristian Pistol, director of the Road Company (CNAIR).

The contracts put out to auction and for which bids have now been submitted are for the design and execution of the two lots of the Suceava – Siret Expressway, which will be approximately 43 km long:

• Lot 1 (Suceava – Dărmănești): 18.6 km
• Lot 2 (Darmănești – Bălcăuți): 24.45 km

UMB, the builder of most lots in A7, is absent from the auction

“Strong associations of builders from Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine have submitted bids, confirming the market's confidence in this project financed by European security instruments”, claims Cristian Pistol.

It should be noted, however, that the companies from the UMB group are missing from the list of bidders, the one that will build the part from Suceava to Pașcani and which, further south, has completed or is in the process of completing all the lots in Moldova, from Pașcani to Buzău.

Moreover, because of the 16 lots contracted or assigned so far on the A7, 13 belong to UMB (6 completed sections), all in the region of Moldova, the A7 highway was also nicknamed the “Umbrărescu Highway”.

Road junction of the Expressway with DN2 and DN2P (Suceava belt) in the north of the Moldavian city / Source: CNAIR

Bids submitted for LOT 1 (Suceava – Dărmănești): 18.6 km

Estimated value: 2.30 billion lei (without VAT)

• Association CONCELEX SRL (leader) – X-WAY INFRASTRUCTURE SRL – DIMEX 2000 COMPANY SRL – ROAD SOIL SRL – OPERATIONAL BROKER SRL (Romania)
• Association CONSTRUCTII ERBASU SA (leader) – CONEST SA – EKY-SAM SRL (Romania)
• Association DANLIN XXL SRL (leader) – INTERTRANSCOM IMPEX SRL – EVROPEISKI PATISHTA AD (Romania – Bulgaria)
• Association FRASINUL SRL (leader) – TANCRAD SRL – STRAZI CONCEPT SRL – CONI SRL (Romania)
• Association MIS GRUP SRL (leader) – NESS PROJECT EUROPE SRL – DRUMSERV SA – AD ASTRA IPP SRL – AVTOMAGISTRALI EAD – INFRA EXPERT AD (Romania – Bulgaria)
• Association FAR FOUNDATION SRL (leader) – AUTOMAGISTRAL PIVDEN SRL – LINCOR TRANS SRL (Romania – Ukraine)

Bids submitted for LOT 2 (Darmănești – Bălcăuți): 24.45 km

Estimated value: 1.88 billion lei (without VAT)

• Association CONCELEX SRL (leader) – X-WAY INFRASTRUCTURE SRL – DIMEX 2000 COMPANY SRL – ROAD SOIL SRL – OPERATIONAL BROKER SRL (Romania)
• Association CONSTRUCTII ERBASU SA (leader) – CONEST SA – EKY-SAM SRL (Romania)
• Association DRUM ASFALT SRL (leader) – SELINA SRL – CITADINA 98 SA (Romania)
• Association MIS GRUP SRL (leader) – NESS PROJECT EUROPE SRL – DRUMSERV SA – AD ASTRA IPP SRL – AVTOMAGISTRALI EAD – INFRA EXPERT AD (Romania – Bulgaria)
• Association RETTER PROJECTMANAGEMENT SRL – GROUP OF COMPANIES AUTOSTRADA SRL (Romania – Ukraine)
• Association FAR FOUNDATION SRL (leader) – AUTOMAGISTRAL PIVDEN SRL – LINCOR TRANS SRL (Romania – Ukraine)

The third lot, from Balcauti to Siret and across the border in Ukraine, was auctioned in mid-January.

In addition to the 4 road junctions (Suceava Nord, Suceava West, Rădăuți, Siret Sud), the constructors will also build 57 works of art (bridges, passages and viaducts), and the project includes parking and service spaces equipped with 36 fast charging stations for electric vehicles.

SAFE financing for A7 to Ukraine

The A7 highway from Pașcani to Suceava and further to Siret (including a 15 km section in Ukraine), as well as the A8 highway from Moțca (DN2) to Ungheni at the Prut Bridge (including a 5 km section in the Republic of Modlova) are financed through the SAFE military endowment program.

Romania has been allocated loans of 16.6 billion euros through SAFE, repayable only from 2035 at a very low interest rate. For the development of the critical infrastructure for civil and military purposes – the two highways – Romania has allocated 4.2 billion euros.

Suceava – Siret, the only link left behind on the North-South axis in Moldova

For the Suceava – Siret high-speed highway, a contract for carrying out the feasibility study has been carried out since 2020. Contracted with the Search Corporation – Egis association for approximately 9.7 million lei, the documentation was completed only in 2025.

The section from Suceava to Siret, on the border with Ukraine, is practically the only one left in the air so far from the high-speed road connection on the North-South axis in Moldova.

The sections from Suceava to Pașcani were awarded at auction to UMB, and the rest of the sections to the South, starting from Pașcani to Adjud, are being completed by the same builder.

The sections from Adjud to Buzău and further to Ploiesti (A3/Dumbrava) were completed and opened to traffic in 2024-2025, totaling around 200 km.

About the differences and similarities between an Expressway and Motorway, in the article below: