Italian company to build first kilometers of highway in Moldova

A historic moment for regional road infrastructure was marked on April 22, 2026, with the selection of the contractor that will build A8 highway up to the banks of the Prut River and for the first time, construct the first kilometers of highway on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. The project, of strategic importance for our country will be carried out by the Italian consortium Itinera S.p.A. (leader) – Saipem S.p.A. – ICM S.p.A.

Section 4 of the Târgu Neamț – Iași – Ungheni Motorway represents the missing link that will directly connect the Republic of Moldova to the European transport network (TEN-T). The project is significant, including not only the 15 kilometers on the Romanian side, but also the first 4.7 km of highway located on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. These will ensure the connection with the future Bridge of Flowers at Ungheni and with the multimodal logistics hub at Berești station.

Romania’s Secretary of State in the Ministry of Transport Irinel Ionel Scrioșteanu emphasized the dual dimension and profound impact of this investment.

“We have a winner also for the construction of the highway up to the Prut and the first kilometers of highway in the Republic of Moldova. By achieving this strategic objective, we are taking an essential step not only in the development of Romania’s infrastructure, but also in connecting the Republic of Moldova to the European transport network, with direct effects on the economy, mobility, and regional security,” the official from Bucharest told MOLDPRES.

The contract, worth 3.57 billion lei, provides for works of high technical complexity. In addition to the highway itself, the Italian builder will construct 12 structures (bridges and overpasses) and two tunnels, the longest of which will measure 1,700 meters. The motorway will also include key road interchanges serving Iași Airport and the Regional Hospital, as well as the access road to the new bridge over the Prut.

A key point of the project is the development of the logistics hub at Berești (Ungheni district). It will become an eastern gateway to Europe, where road transport will intersect with rail transport (both on European and broad gauge), facilitating exports and the rapid transit of goods.

Financing is provided through the European Commission’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, intended for dual-use infrastructure – both civilian and military. This form of partnership between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and the European Union has imposed an accelerated schedule for the tender procedures.

“The tender procedures are being carried out with very tight deadlines so that the signing of the contracts can take place in a much shorter time,” Irinel Scrioșteanu noted, thanking the authorities in Chișinău for the “very good cooperation” in this unprecedented cross-border project.

The total duration of the contract is 46 months, of which the first 10 months are dedicated to design and the following 36 months to actual construction. Itinera S.p.A., part of the giant Gavio Group, brings global experience in the construction of highways and bridges, providing a guarantee of European-standard implementation for the infrastructure that citizens on both banks of the Prut have been awaiting for generations.