Ecological Perspective

EXPO 2027 and the Ecological Risks to Surčin Lower Field

The construction of the EXPO 2027 complex and the National Football Stadium in Surčin is being developed in an environmentally sensitive area of major hydrological and ecological importance.

This area is located close to Belgrade’s main drinking water sources, with groundwater lying at relatively shallow depths, making the ecosystem extremely vulnerable to contamination and changes in the water regime. 

Threat to Belgrade’s Drinking Water

The project directly interferes with Surčinsko Polje, one of the key water sources for Belgrade, supplying around 30% of the city’s drinking water. The plan area is located mostly in the wider sanitary protection zone of the Belgrade water source (zone III) and to a lesser extent in the narrower (zone II) and immediate (zone I) sanitary protection zones. These zones exist specifically to prevent contamination of groundwater used for public water supply. The project includes high-rise buildings requiring deep foundations, a construction method allowed in these zones only under exceptional circumstances and with strict protection measures. Failure to implement such measures could compromise groundwater quality, potentially forcing the abandonment of water treatment facilities or even the water source itself

The environmental impact study, required for the building permit, was not conducted before construction of the stadium had begun; instead, it was developed concurrently with the construction, constituting illegal building activity.

Environmental Impact Report: National Football Stadium (in Serbian) states: “Given the planned construction that may have a significant cumulative impact on the hydrological regime of this area, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study and for each individual facility to check the possibility of implementation and define the measures and conditions for it. Particular attention should be paid to how the planned construction will affect the water quality and well capacity of the Belgrade water source. If there is a threat to it or the event of a threat to it, in any segment, it is necessary to prove the justification of the solution and find an alternative source of water supply for the city….Before building the facility, do a feasibility check. Especially considering the fact that these agricultural areas are located in the sanitary protection zones of the Belgrade water source.”

 And on the construction site? 

Without any additional study, 2300 deep reinforced concrete pillars were driven, for which the environmental impact was not previously considered in the III sanitary protection zone of the Water Source.  No one knows what the impact of these works on groundwater and the water that Belgrad citizens drink.

 As a result, RERI (Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute) has filed a criminal complaint against Finance Minister Siniša Mali, the project’s leader. The finalized study is incomplete, notably attempting to overlook the impact of numerous piles on the water source. Consequently, RERI has also sued the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Flood Risk, Water Contamination and Well Capacity

  • The project includes interventions along the Sava River levee, which currently protects New Belgrade from flooding.
  • Ongoing construction is taking place in a sanitary protection zone, where the protection plan for the water source prohibits intrusion into the aquifer layer. This poses a significant risk for many planned structures that are founded on numerous piles, thereby violating sanitary conditions.

This situation allows for multiple points through which contaminated surface water can directly infiltrate the underground water source without prior filtration.

One of the key concerns is that the project of the EXPO complex in Surčin does not include a wastewater treatment plant.

The complex will generate large quantities of municipal and potentially industrial wastewater due to the presence of thousands of employees, residents, and visitors. Without adequate treatment, there is a risk of direct discharge of contaminated water into existing drainage channels, such as the Galovica canal, and further into the Sava River.

In addition, the construction of an international dock in the hydrological zone of the wells carries risks of: 

  • water pollution from construction activities and vessels; 
  • changes in hydrodynamics and sedimentation; 
  • alterations in underground flows; 
  • mechanical damage to the well system; 
  • reduced filtration capacity; 
  • and the risk of long-term decreases in well capacity.

 Destruction of High-Quality Agricultural Land

 The total planned area of the EXPO project currently covers 813.65 hectares. Of this, 74.3% (604.32 ha) is high-quality agricultural land, mainly Class II-1 soil, among the most fertile in Serbia. Only 15% of land in Serbia is of this quality, making it extremely valuable for intensive agricultural production.

On that 604.32 ha of the high-quality agricultural terrain, National Football Stadium is to be erected (which the Serbian government tied into the EXPO project), parallel with the accompanying infrastructure, including residential buildings for exhibition participants, roads and supporting halls. Only 0.4% or 3.09 ha of green space is planned.

 Environmental Impact Report: National Football Stadium (in Serbian) states:“The reconstruction of the facilities should be subject to a justification check. Especially when considering the fact that these agricultural areas are located in the  sanitary protection zones of the Belgrade spring.” 

Construction works are ongoing. Justification has never been established.

Massive Land Filling and Unknown Materials

Due to high groundwater levels and alluvial soil, the terrain requires raising the ground by 3-5 meters through large-scale land filling.

This creates additional risks for nearby Ranney wells (between wells 46 and 47).

Key questions remain unanswered:

  • Where did the filling material come from?
  • Who verified its composition?
  • Was its potential impact on groundwater assessed?

In an area located directly within water protection zones, any contamination could have serious consequences for drinking water safety.

Impact on Protected Ecological Areas

Parts of the project area overlap with important ecological zones, including:

  • the “Sava–Danube Confluence” ecological network area
  • international ecological corridors along the Sava River
  • potential Natura 2000 sites, including
    • Surčin
    • Sava–Danube Confluence and Pančevo Marsh

These sites are recognized under EU environmental directives, including:

  • the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC)
  • the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC)

Despite this, the project plans only 0.4% green space, raising serious questions about the preservation of ecological corridors and biodiversity.

 Environmental Measures Ignored

The environmental study itself prescribes strict measures, including:

  • preservation of melioration canals
  • protection of coastal vegetation
  • safeguarding large trees and natural landscape elements

However, construction works began before the study was completed, and many of these measures appear not to have been implemented.

For example:

  • the Batajnica sewerage system, required to manage wastewater from the project area, has not yet been built
  • the study states that buildings should not have underground structures – yet deep foundations and piles are already being installed

Belgrade Dolphinarium Project – A retrograde leap in urban planning and ethics

The proposed construction of an aquarium and dolphinarium at the Ušće site is a significant departure from contemporary urban planning standards and democratic governance. This project, introduced without public debate or expert consultation, raises critical questions regarding fiscal responsibility, environmental preservation, animal protection and ethical principles.

31048 people have signed a petition “Save dolphins – Stop dolphinariums” 

Democratic Deficit and Economic Priorities

The project has bypassed transparent procedures, excluding both the public and the scientific community from the decision-making process. At a time when the state is intensively borrowing – largely driven by Expo 2027 of which the Dolphinarium is a part of – the allocation of resources toward a grandiose commercial project is highly questionable. The lack of a clear cost-benefit analysis suggests a disregard for the public interest in favor of dubious investment priorities.

Ecological Degradation of Ušće

The choice of location is particularly contentious. Ušće serves as one of Belgrade’s last significant green zones, vital for:

  • Biodiversity maintenance in an increasingly urbanized environment.
  • Air quality regulation for the city center.
  • Public accessibility, providing a non-commercialized space for citizens.

The transformation from a rare green space in the city to a concrete commercial hub constitutes an irreversible loss of public space and ecological capital.

Ethical Principles and Global Trends

While Serbia initiates dolphinarium project, the global community is moving in the opposite direction. Countries, including France, Canada, Mexico, Croatia, Slovenia and India, have banned the breeding and captivity of marine mammals for entertainment. This shift is grounded in established cetacean (marine mammals) science:

For a landlocked country with no institutional history of marine biology, the logistical and ethical risks of maintaining such an infrastructure are exceptionally high and there is no cultural or natural bond between this kind of project and Serbia. Also in Serbia, the situation regarding animals in captivity, whether in zoos or shelters across the territory, is quite serious. Numerous investigations highlight the conditions under which these animals are kept, which clearly reveals the neglect. Recent testimonies from Palic Zoo and Belgrade Zoos show animals in poor, near-death condition. Same conditions are in animal shelters – dogs are kept in deplorable conditions, with reports of unnecessary euthanasia while public money for animal care is used for other purposes. 

If dogs in shelters and other animals in zoo parks in Serbia are held in such conditions this will soon become reality for dolphins too. 

Investing in a retrograde model of entertainment such as the dolphinarium, not only places Serbia at odds with international ethical standards but also threatens the architectural and ecological integrity of Belgrade’s most iconic riverbank.