Expo 2027: BIE Says Postponing Belgrade Exhibition Is No Longer Possible
The Paris-based Expo body says dates are effectively locked, participants move in on 1 December, and procurement is a matter for Serbian institutions.
Postponing Expo 2027 in Belgrade is practically no longer possible, Dimitri Kerkentzes, secretary general of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), told the weekly Vreme in remarks reported on Wednesday, 11 November. With just over six months to go, participating countries will begin taking over their exhibition spaces on 1 December.
Why the dates are locked
The exhibition is scheduled for 15 May to 15 August 2027. Member states set those dates when the BIE formally recognised the Belgrade Expo on 26 November 2024. Kerkentzes said any change would require a two-thirds vote of the BIE General Assembly, and that the bureau's regulatory deadlines now effectively rule that out. He said preparations are on schedule and more than 140 participants are taking part.
The change of government
Kerkentzes described the recent elections as a normal part of democratic life and noted that governments often change before or during an Expo. The BIE said it warmly welcomed a statement by Student List representatives that the exhibition will be held in line with Serbia's international obligations, and that it would contact the new government as soon as it is formed. Bojan Stanić of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce said on the same day that cancelling the event would be an international embarrassment.
Who answers for procurement
The BIE stressed that it oversees the exhibition and its site but has no role in awarding, managing or auditing public contracts, and that inspections before the opening are for Serbian authorities. That point matters because Expo spending is under scrutiny: Transparency Serbia said last week that Expo contracts with only one bidder were worth as much as 550 million euros, and the state company Expo 2027 has said all its purchases comply with Serbian law. The Student List has said the project will continue while its costs are reviewed.
Sources
- N1 — Official: postponing Expo 2027 in Belgrade practically no longer possible (in Serbian)
- Vreme — Kuzmanović (Student List): the Expo continues, costs are being combed
- Kurir Biznis — Expo 2027: postponement no longer an option (in Serbian)
- Vreme — Transparency Serbia: single-bidder Expo procurements worth up to 550 million euros
- Tanjug — Expo 2027 company: all our procurements comply with Serbian regulations (in Serbian)
This report is written by The Serbian Review from the sources listed above; facts are attributed where they could not be independently verified. Spotted an error? See our Corrections Policy.
