Moldova's highway to Ukraine: Green light for the first SAFE sections, executed by the largest builder in Ukraine
The two sections of express road from Suceava to near Siret, in the continuation of the A7 Moldova Highway that reaches Suceava, received the green light on Tuesday at the signing of the contracts. The two sections are part of the package of Romanian highways that will be financed through SAFE, the EU mechanism for strategic and military development.
The National Council for the Resolution of Appeals rejected on Tuesday all appeals for the contracts of the first two lots of the Suceava – Siret Expressway.
“In the coming days we will sign the contracts for the design and execution of Lot 1 (Suceava – Dărmănești) and Lot 2 (Dărmănești – Bălcăuți), which add up to approximately 43 km of the future Suceava – Siret Expressway,” announced the State Secretary for Transport, Horațiu Cosma, on Tuesday.
The association FAR FOUNDATION SRL – AUTOMAGISTRAL PIVDEN SRL – LINCOR TRANS SRL will design and execute lots 1 and 2 of the Suceava-Siret Expressway, in a total amount of 3.72 billion lei (without VAT), approximately 730 million euros. The estimated value at the auction was 4.18 billion lei:
- For Lot 1 (Suceava – Dărmănești), 18.6 km long, the value offered was 2.09 billion lei (without VAT). Term: 9 months for the design period and 24 months for the execution of the works
- For Lot 2 (Dărmănești – Bălcăuți), with a length of 24.45 km, the value offered was 1.63 billion lei (without VAT). Term: 12 months for the design period and 24 months for the execution period of the works.
12 associations of builders from Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine signed up for the auction. The most well-known Romanian builder – the UMB group of companies, the one that builds most of the A7 “Moldovei” Highway – was missing from the list of bidders.
Lot 3, from Bălcăuți to Siret and up to the border, including the modernization of 15 km of the M19 road on the Ukrainian side, is also put up for auction.
Who are the companies that will take the “Moldovei” Highway close to the border with Ukraine
Automagistral Pivden is one of the largest construction companies in Ukraine. In 2025, according to Interfax, it was considered the largest construction company in the neighboring country, handling almost a quarter of construction projects.
Pivden Motorway is one of the major companies involved in the Ukrainian government's “Great Construction” program, started during Zelenskiy's tenure. The company is engaged in the reconstruction of international highways Kyiv-Odesa and Kyiv-Kharkiv, as well as capital repair works of regional roads.
Far Foundations SRL is a construction company from Bistrița, which has several road and civil construction projects in the northern counties of the country. Among the executed road projects are the modernization and rehabilitation of some county roads.
The company Lincor Trans from Iași specializes in international freight transport.
On the route of both lots, 57 structures (bridges, passages and viaducts) will be built, as well as 4 road junctions: Suceava North (DN29A), Suceava West (DN2-DN2P), DN2-DN2H (Rădăuți) and DN2 (Siret Sud).
The contract also provides for the construction of parking lots equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles.
By the end of May 2026, all the design and execution contracts of DEx Suceava -Siret must be signed and the works must be completed by 2030 at the latest, according to the conditions imposed by the SAFE financing.
DEx Suceava-Siret, 55.7 km long, will have both a civil and military role and will ensure the connection of the road infrastructure in Romania with the road infrastructure in Ukraine.
SAFE is a long-term loan financial instrument, launched in 2025 by the European Commission and intended especially for military endowment as well as military mobility projects.
Of the over 16 billion euros allocated through SAFE for Romania, 4.2 billion euros (without VAT) are allocated to road infrastructure.
