Competition Council fines 27 firms for bid rigging in road repair tenders

Moldova’s Competition Council has fined 27 companies a total of about MDL 95 million for bid rigging in State Road Administration tenders in 2019–2020. Instead of competing for contracts, the firms shared out procedures among themselves and exchanged sensitive information.

The tenders were financed from the Road Fund. Contracts awarded in the rigged procedures were worth about MDL 1.75 billion — at least 47% of all road rehabilitation contracts signed by the State Road Administration in that period.

Seven companies fully or partially admitted the violation and received reduced fines. The decision can be appealed within 30 days of receipt and will be published on the authority’s website.

What it means for you

• If you bid for public contracts, any arrangement with competitors on prices or lots is risky — and can be fined years later.
• Admitting a violation reduces the fine, which makes an early internal review worthwhile.
• If you suspect collusion in a tender, you can report it to the Competition Council.

Source: Bani.md, 09.10.2026