Political Perspective

Student raising hands being arrested by Serbian police

The preparations for the specialized exhibition Belgrade Expo 2027 are unfolding within a political climate marked by a compromised reputation of the current Serbian regime. 

Reports from relevant international bodies indicate a significant deficit in the rule of law and the weakening of democratic institutions, creating an environment of uncertainty for international partners and investors. The European Parliament, European Commission and European Economic and Social Committee have all recognized serious issues related to the Specialized Expo project.

Local initiatives, NGOs, field experts and academia have unanimously voiced concerns that the specialized exhibition project has grave legal and economic issues and that it does not benefit the local population. 

European Institutions Recognize Systemic Corruption Issues

The European Parliament (EP) has expressed profound concern regarding pervasive corruption and the non-transparent expenditure of public funds in Serbia. Within the context of Belgrade Expo 2027, particular emphasis has been placed on safety concerns and the absence of independent oversight for large-scale infrastructure projects, directly undermining the integrity of the upcoming Expo event. This resolution also points out that legislation is circumvented and that “legal redress and tender submission deadlines” are not compliant with EU standards.

According to the EP, “countries participating in the upcoming Expo 2027 in Serbia” should “take into account the serious concerns and evidence of widespread corruption linked to the ruling authorities, as well as the reported lack of compliance with basic construction standards and legal requirements in the organization and construction of the exhibition”. 

The European Economic and Social Committee together with civil society representatives of Serbia, has supported the demands of the local population while issuing a warning over the non-transparency of the Specialized Expo project.

The Government of Sweden has decided to review its support to Serbia in accordance with the principles of a merit-based enlargement of the EU. The decision means that parts of the support to government agencies in Serbia is withdrawn due to increasing corruption and the failure to uphold the rule of law. 

The European Commission  2025 report states excessive use of force against protesters, and no progress in developing fundamental rights and judiciary.

Finally, in its 2026 report, Freedom House warns that the ruling party “has steadily eroded political rights and civil liberties, putting legal and extralegal pressure on independent media, the political opposition, and civil society organizations.”

Local communities and civil society in frontline against Specialised Expo 2027 

Discontent regarding safety and corruption in public projects culminated after the collapse of the canopy at the newly renovated Novi Sad Railway Station on November 1st, 2024, surging an unprecedented wave of protests in the country. This grave incident serves as a paradigmatic example of such risks in practice:

Safety and Accountability: Despite ongoing massive public protests and civil mobilization lasting over a year, there has been a notable lack of prosecution of the responsible individuals and companies, suggesting systemic protection of privileged actors.

Lack of Transparency: Construction works are assigned to non-transparent consortia with documented political ties. The state has effectively bypassed standard regulatory oversight and independent scrutiny, sparking a unified demand from academic and professional communities for immediate declassification of all contractual and safety documentation. Project documentation remains classified and inaccessible to the public. 

Organized and spontaneous actions across Serbia represent a bulk defiance against the exhibition. So far, civic actions have been actively organized to draw attention to the problems related to the Specialised Expo Belgrade 2027 exhibition.

Some of them include:

•  A public petition “STOP corruption, cancel the EXPO” was signed by 120 512 citizens and addressed to Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)

• Civil society, experts and NGOs have unanimously raised concerns over this project.

• A group of experts have composed a ”Formal Notice Concerning Systemic Legal Violations, Corruption, and Safety Risks Related to EXPO 2027 Belgrade, Serbia”, addressed to Mr. Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).  That letter of notice has been signed by 6411 people and sent to BIE.

•  Ongoing massive protests by students and citizens contesting and organizing resistance against the project. A group of students and professors from the Architectural Faculty of the University of Belgrade have formed the group “EXPOdiraću” dedicated to unmasking the structural issues of the project.

• Parliamentary opposition parties sent an official letter to BIE representatives asking for a cancellation of the project, “considering the collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad and the way projects are executed in Serbia”.

Unfortunately, the railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad (2024) isn’t a lonely example. The current Serbian administration has more to offer: Central Railway Station “Prokop” in Belgrade, the host city of Expo2027, is another one. The station was in use even prior to its official opening in October 2023. To this day, “Prokop” hasn’t obtained an occupancy permit, despite thousands of passengers using the facility daily. There are two primary reasons for this: first, the construction work was not executed in line with the issued building permit; and second, there is no documented evidence that the building has passed a technical inspection. The load-bearing columns are cracked.

Implications for BelgradeExpo 2027

The issues identified within the broader political and infrastructural context are not isolated incidents; rather, they form the very foundation upon which the BelgradeExpo 2027 project is being built. The combination of high-level corruption, non-transparent contracts, and questionable safety protocols raises serious questions for the international community regarding the security and ethical implications of participation in projects within the current, sensitive domestic environment.