Romania: Anti-corruption agency examines tender worth more than 5 billion lei
The DNA is looking into the award of the Bacău–Piatra Neamț expressway. The case is “in rem” – there are no suspects so far. A cheaper bid had initially been rejected.
Symbolic image · Photo: Nenea hartia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) is examining the tender for the Bacău–Piatra Neamț expressway – around 51 kilometres meant to connect Piatra Neamț to the A7 motorway. The DNA press office confirmed an “in rem” case, meaning it concerns the facts rather than specific people. Checks are “currently being carried out” and the case is “indeed about the tender”, the news site Economedia quoted the agency as saying. There are no suspects or defendants.
In December 2025, the road agency CNIR declared a consortium led by construction company Danlin XXL the winner with a bid of about 5.17 billion lei excluding VAT. A consortium led by Precon Transilvania had bid about 4.57 billion lei – some 600 million less – but was rejected as abnormally low. After a legal challenge, the Bucharest Court of Appeal ordered a re-evaluation and on Oct. 1, 2026 definitively rejected Danlin XXL's complaint.
CNIR spokesman Alexandru Lancuzov said the procedure is still ongoing and the law bars disclosing details until it becomes public. Precon said its bid is being re-evaluated in line with the court ruling. According to Romanian media, the DNA has also been running a separate “in rem” case since early 2026 over a Danlin XXL contract with Bacău County Council.