The National Association of Road Builders of Ukraine (NADU) has sent an appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers demanding the immediate initiation of the repayment process for the nearly UAH 20 billion debt owed to contractors for completed work on protecting energy and critical infrastructure facilities, as well as the restoration and maintenance of highways. The association emphasizes that the debt has reached critical proportions, posing risks to the financial stability of the road industry.
Debt Without Funding Sources
According to NADU, the debt owed to LLC «Autoremont-South» (Автомагистраль-Юг) exceeds UAH 9.85 billion, of which UAH 5.7 billion lacks defined funding sources. The debt to ONUR («Onur Construction International») amounts to over UAH 6 billion, including UAH 3 billion unsupported by funding sources. LLC «Rostdorstroy» (RDS) is owed UAH 3.2 billion, with over UAH 2.1 billion lacking funding sources. Thus, a significant portion of the total debt is not backed by budget or other payment sources.
Work Performed Without Funding
In their appeal, NADU members note that the organization, without waiting for funding, began using its own resources to restore infrastructure destroyed by the enemy. Road builders constructed fortifications and defense facilities, and ensured military logistics. «Our companies acted this way, realizing the critical importance of state tasks for the country's defense capability and vital activity. We have never allowed ourselves to resolve debt issues in an ultimatum form, blackmailing with the stoppage of work or through informational pressure on the Agency's management. However, hiding the problem any further is no longer possible. The amount of debt has reached critical proportions, creating risks for the financial stability of the industry,» the association's statement reads.
«Repayment Plan» and the State's Position
The association reported that, according to information from one of the market participants, a meeting with representatives of the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure resulted in the drafting of an «available debt repayment plan.» «If this is so, NADU can only welcome the state's intention to resolve the debt problem, which has now acquired threatening proportions. However, it is important that the 'repayment plan' covers all market participants,» the road builders emphasize in the statement. NADU relies on a constructive position from the Government, proper coordination of actions by responsible state authorities, and the adoption of concrete decisions that will ensure the settlement of the existing debt.
Stakes: Jobs and the 2027 Budget
According to the association, settling the debt is essential for preserving more than 15,000 jobs and the production capacity needed by the country for infrastructure construction and restoration. Previously, the Cabinet of Ministers included road repair expenditures in the 2027 budget, which the industry views as a signal of the state's readiness to address the issue, although NADU's main demand remains the timely payment for work already completed.
