Car wash opened illegally on DN 28 at Podu Iloaiei by mayor's daughter
AUI Bubble SRL, administered by the mayor of Podu Iloaiei's daughter, opened a car wash without the mandatory approval of the Regional Directorate of Roads and Bridges Iași. The town hall, run by her father, issued the construction permit before the company submitted its request to the National Road
Car wash without DRDP authorisation opened by mayor's daughter in Podu Iloaiei
AUI Bubble SRL, administered by Andreea Ionela Alexa, daughter of mayor Ioan Alexa of Podu Iloaiei, opened on Saturday, 10 October 2026, a self-service car wash on DN 28, at the town's entrance from Iași municipality. According to Gândul, which cites information published by Ziarul de Iași, the business was opened without the mandatory approval of the Regional Directorate of Roads and Bridges Iași.
The car wash covers a plot of 840 square metres, rented from the family of former mayor Petru Baciu, in the area from km 48+945 to km 48+982 on DN 28. AUI Bubble SRL was established in July 2025, with its business purpose listed as "repair and maintenance of motor vehicles", and operates at the same address as Alexa Ana Construct, a company administered by Ionela Alexa, Andreea's mother.
Construction permit issued before application submitted to DRDP
The town hall run by Ioan Alexa issued the construction permit on 23 July 2026. The company submitted its application to DRDP Iași only on 27 August 2026—a month after already obtaining the document from the town hall—requesting approval for "construction of self-service car wash and utility connections". The law expressly requires that the road administrator's consent is necessary for issuing a construction permit.
DRDP Iași did not issue the approval even by the date the car wash opened. On 4 September 2026, SDN Iași requested that the company make modifications regarding road access, construction of a pavement, correction of kilometre markings and installation of road markings. By the official opening, AUI Bubble SRL had not submitted documents proving compliance with these requirements.
Reactions from authorities and the Alexa family
Ovidiu Laicu, director of DRDP Iași, announced that the institution would refer the matter to the State Construction Inspectorate, the town hall of Podu Iloaiei and the Traffic Police. "Referrals will be made, as appropriate, to the State Construction Inspectorate, the town hall of Podu Iloaiei and the Traffic Police, in order to verify aspects falling within their remit," Laicu stated. Without DRDP approval, the business cannot operate legally.
Mayor Ioan Alexa initially attempted to distance himself from the business. "I did not open any car wash. If a commercial company or someone else opens a business, I do not think I should know about it. Speak to the National Roads authority and to that company," the PNL mayor said. Subsequently, after being confronted with the identity of the company's administrator, Alexa claimed that the construction permit and access approval from the National Roads authority are "something entirely different". The head of DRDP Iași contradicted this position, pointing out that the institution's approval is mandatory for the business to operate legally.
Andreea Ionela Alexa refused to discuss with reporters from Ziarul de Iași how the car wash was opened in the absence of all necessary authorisations.
Additional connections with local administration
The car wash project was carried out by YDA Proiect Consulting SRL Iași, a company administered by Andrei Ștefan Sticea. The same company concluded in May 2026 a direct contract with the Podu Iloaiei town hall, worth 23,000 lei excluding VAT, for technical expertise and field studies regarding the primary school in the locality.
The Alexa family's business thus combines several controversial elements: a construction permit issued by the town hall run by the father before his daughter's company obtained the necessary legal approvals, the absence of DRDP authorisation both when the town hall issued the document and at the official opening, and contractual links between the car wash's designer and the same local administration.
Source: Gândul