Moldova’s government has presented 19 investment projects under the European Union Growth Plan, with the five most expensive focused on roads, airport infrastructure and drinking-water networks. The projects are at different stages: some are still in feasibility studies, while others have financing agreements awaiting parliamentary ratification. Planned completion dates run from 2030 to 2035.
Five projects dominate the investment pipeline
The largest planned project is the Chișinău bypass, valued at more than €576 million and covering about 54 kilometres of modernised or newly built road. It is followed by a €500 million new terminal at Chișinău International Airport, the €300 million Ungheni–Chișinău motorway, and a €232 million package for the R7 and M3 roads. A drinking-water project for the north, south and Găgăuzia is valued at €229 million. Together, the projects show how the investment programme combines discrete construction packages with wider networks that will require design, works and operational infrastructure to be coordinated over several years.
Road schemes are moving through design before works
The Chișinău bypass is still completing its feasibility study. The technical design is expected in 2027, with construction planned to start in 2028 and completion in the first quarter of 2032. Its second section, about 9.4 kilometres long, is intended to be widened to four lanes between the M1 and M2 junction near Dumbrava and the M14 junction near Cricova. For the Ungheni–Chișinău motorway, feasibility work is also under way, followed by procurement and the launch of works in 2027–2028. The plan covers about 25 kilometres between Ungheni and the M5 at Rădeni, plus about 100 kilometres upgraded to motorway standard towards Chișinău.
Airport and water projects use different preparation routes
The airport project illustrates a different sequence. Its new terminal is designed for 2,800 passengers per hour, alongside upgrades to the runway, taxiways and aircraft parking platforms. The project is at an early stage: the authorities are contracting a master plan to set strategic development directions for the next 15 years and are identifying funding sources. Completion is targeted for 2031, with capacity to serve up to 10 million passengers annually. The water programme is updating feasibility studies from 2021–2022 before design and procurement in 2027. It would include intake structures, treatment plants and about 655 kilometres of mains and distribution pipes for about 700,000 residents.
Lotting will shape future competition
The R7 and M3 scheme demonstrates how a large public works programme can be divided into lots rather than treated as one contract. R7 is split into three lots covering rehabilitation between R14 and Drochia, Drochia and Rîșcani M5, and a five-kilometre Drochia bypass. M3 is divided into four lots covering rehabilitation, widening, a bypass and links around Giurgiulești. The financing agreement has been signed and awaits parliamentary ratification; design is planned for 2027, with R7 works starting at the end of 2027 and M3 works in 2028. For suppliers, lot structure can determine which specialist capabilities and geographic coverage are relevant to a future competition.
| Project | Planned value |
|---|---|
| Chișinău bypass | More than €576 million |
| New Chișinău airport terminal | €500 million |
| Ungheni–Chișinău motorway | €300 million |
| R7 and M3 roads | €232 million |
| Drinking water in the north, south and Găgăuzia | €229 million |
The five most expensive projects combine roads, airport works and water networks.
WHY IT MATTERS
The announcement describes an investment pipeline, not completed procurements or contractor awards. In the projects outlined, feasibility studies and master planning come before technical design, procurement and construction. Dividing road work into lots can open separate opportunities for different types of supplier, while financing and parliamentary ratification can affect when a competition is ready to proceed. The water project is to be financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Union and the Moldovan government.
Reported from zdg.md, 2026-10-29. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
