The large-scale post-war program for the restoration of Ukrainian infrastructure should be based on FIDIC contracts, believes Nikolai Timofeev, the CEO of the largest infrastructure construction company in Ukraine, "Avtomagistral-Yug."
“International donors prefer FIDIC contracts because they provide a clear distribution of responsibilities between the client and the contractor, mitigate corruption risks, ensure transparent dispute resolution practices, and offer professional arbitration. Investors are confident that the financed contract will be executed within specified timeframes—there will be no legal conflicts or lengthy court proceedings,” he noted during the FIDIC Users Conference in London.
FIDIC is the largest international organization in the field of construction consulting, uniting over one million practicing construction consultants in 104 countries worldwide. The main goal of FIDIC is to regulate the relationships between clients and construction contractors through standard contract forms. Infrastructure construction contracts funded by the World Bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are executed according to FIDIC standard contracts.
The main topics of the conference in London included new practices for appointing dispute resolution boards, the application of AI technologies for tender preparation and project management, and reducing carbon emissions in construction projects. The event also featured the awarding of the winners of the FIDIC Contract Users' Awards 2024.
According to Nikolai Timofeev, "Avtomagistral-Yug" is the only contractor from Ukraine invited to the conference. Over ten years ago, representatives of "Avtomagistral-Yug" became the first certified FIDIC consulting engineers from Ukraine. Currently, the company has more than 20 such engineers. Membership in FIDIC entails adherence to the FIDIC charter on professional ethics and behavior for consulting engineers.
“The fact that we were invited to the conference is further evidence of our company's recognition at the international level, confirming the high professional standards of our consulting engineers. "Avtomagistral-Yug" operates under FIDIC contracts both in other countries and on international projects in Ukraine. We are ready to implement all Ukrainian infrastructure projects under the same FIDIC rules to definitively end the pressure and interference in our work by law enforcement agencies, which are absent in any other European country,” said Timofeev.
He also noted that almost all experts he spoke with at the conference hope that next year, with international support, Ukraine will be able to start a large-scale restoration program, "which must undoubtedly be based on FIDIC contracts."
LLC "Avtomagistral-Yug" has been in the market since 2004. It designs and constructs highways, bridges, interchanges, airport complexes, and hydraulic structures. Alexander Boyko is listed as the owner of the company in Opendatabot information. According to the financial results for 2023, the company's net profit amounted to 624.9 million UAH, and revenue reached 8.215 billion UAH.