Ukrainian company Avtomagistral-Pivden will participate for the first time in a large-scale construction project for new infrastructure in the EU, namely 33.7 km of the Oradea-Arad expressway, with a contract value of EUR460 million, the company’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the report, the contract was signed on May 15 in Bucharest by Cristian Pistol, director of Romania’s National Road Infrastructure Management Company, Veniamin Rus, head of the Precon Transilvania SLR association (Romania), and Nikolai Timofeev, CEO of Avtomagistral-Pivden.
Romanian Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu, who attended the signing ceremony, said that his country’s government welcomes the cooperation between the local contractor and the foreign company.
For his part, Cristian Pistol noted that the new Oradea-Arad expressway is part of the strategic European corridor Via Carpathia, which will provide road links between the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas.
“The signing of the contract is truly a historic event. This is the first time a Ukrainian company has participated in a large-scale project to build new infrastructure in EU countries. Ukraine will supply the European market not with raw materials or cheap labor, but with high-tech services, the foreign exchange earnings from which will compensate for the losses of traditional Ukrainian raw material exports,” said Nikolai Timofeev.
According to him, Avtomagistral-Pivden’s victory also opens up opportunities for other Ukrainian companies that supply construction materials or offer services in the construction sector: the contract will have a significant multiplier effect, boosting demand for Ukrainian products. Avtomagistral-Pivden’s entry into the market for new EU projects will also strengthen economic integration and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania as a whole, and will promote the exchange of technologies and experience and the implementation of joint investment projects.
Timofeev emphasized that the prerequisite for winning the tender was Avtomagistral-Pivden’s successful implementation of large-scale projects in Moldova and several initial projects in Romania (repair of a highway in Transylvania and reconstruction of the Satu Mare airport).
“The company has proven itself to be a reliable partner. It has proven its ability to work according to international standards, fulfill its obligations, and ensure high quality and timely completion of contracts,” he said.
As reported, the Oradea-Arad expressway construction project (120.5 km) consists of several sections, for each of which the customer is holding a separate tender. In February 2025, Avtomagistral-Pivden and its partners won the tender for lot No. 1 (33.7 km). This is currently the first contract signed for the construction of Oradea-Arad. Under the terms of the contract, worth a total of EUR 460 million, it must be completed within 24 months.
The first section of the project includes the construction of 32 bridges, interchanges, and overpasses, including a 727-meter overpass over the railway, as well as two parking lots for charging electric vehicles.
Last year, Avtomagistral-Pivden opened an office in Romania, where preparations for the start of work are already underway. At the same time, the company continues to compete for other contracts in the Romanian market.
Avtomagistral-Pivden LLC has been operating since 2004. It designs and builds expressways, bridges, interchanges, airfield complexes, and hydraulic structures. According to Opendatabot, the owner of the company is Alexander Boiko. According to the financial results for 2024, the company’s net profit amounted to UAH 1.363 billion, and its revenue was UAH 13.197 billion.
