Last week, tenders were announced through the Prozorro system for over UAH 17 billion. The largest and most expensive of them is the project of construction of a new checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Romanian border in Transcarpathia. Its realization was entrusted with the Turkish company Onur Construction International for UAH 2 billion. But by the loud name - an opaque procedure, formal competition and the risk of blurred estimates.
The checkpoint will appear near the village of Bila Tserkva in the Tyachiv district of Transcarpathia, opposite the Romanian city of Sigett Marmotii. Infrastructure will include:
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6 lanes for cars,
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2 bus lanes,
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6 strips for trucks.
It is planned that up to 1000 vehicles will pass through this point. Up to 40 border guards and customs officers will be changed. The contractor must complete the work by 2028.
Only two companies participated in the tender: Onur and Highway-South. The winner's offer was only 2% cheaper. This level of "discount" is a typical sign of arrangements or lack of struggle in the market.
In addition, Onur will receive complete control over the whole process: from projection to construction. This means that the company will determine what to build and how much it costs - after the contract is approved. This approach leaves a minimum of space for external control and opens the door for manipulation with estimates.
Currently, there is no information about the cost of materials, rates of work or detailed budget. All this will only appear after the projected stage is completed. But the contract has already been signed - and the allocated UAH 2 billion will actually become a "ceiling", which will then pull up the project.
Construction of a new international checkpoint is a strategically important step that can significantly unload the western borders of Ukraine. But this object will not become another example of bloated estimates and poor quality - depends on public control and independent audit. Because without transparency and a real competition, large projects remain a convenient tool for sawing budget.
