Mali to Swiss outlet: EXPO 2027 is a leap into the future and a development opportunity for Serbia and the region

Dust swirls above the dried-out fields of Surcin, a few kilometers west of Belgrade. The wind carries the smell of fresh concrete and diesel across the construction site. Trucks pass every minute along temporary access roads, carving deep tracks into the ground.

Excavators swing their long arms, concrete mixers pour gray streams into foundations, and workers shout instructions to one another over the noise.

Cranes lift steel beams above a space that is changing from week to week. Where there were fields until recently, a new city is rising – a springboard for Serbia into the future.

In March, Weltwoche was invited by the organizers of Expo 2027 to visit the construction site of this mega-event, scheduled for next year. Over three months, Belgrade is set to become a meeting point for culture, sport, technology, and business. Serbia is working here on a project intended to go beyond a conventional world exposition.

Expo will be held from May 15 to August 15, 2027. Its motto is Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All. Expo 2027 in Belgrade is an international specialized exhibition recognized by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).

Such exhibitions are theme-oriented and are held between two world expos.

Unlike them, they are spatially limited: the exhibition area may cover no more than 25 hectares.

Four million visitors

Over three months, Belgrade is expected to become an international hub for culture, sport, technology, and the economy. For the government, Expo is a central modernization project. Construction of the complex alone costs around €1.2 to €1.5 billion; additional billions will be invested in the country’s broader development.

The exhibition is part of a wider plan. Around the site in Surcin, a new urban district is taking shape, with exhibition halls, congress centers, hotels, and recreational areas, which will continue to serve as a fairground and residential zone after the Expo. Infrastructure is being developed in parallel: new expressways, expansion of Nikola Tesla Airport, modernization of the railway network, a national stadium with 52,000 seats, and Belgrade’s first metro.

One of the key architects of this program is Sinisa Mali, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. A former mayor of Belgrade and an economist who worked as an investment banker in the United States, he describes the coming years as a period of intensive investment.

"This is a leap into the future: €17.8 billion across 323 projects throughout Serbia. Roads, railways, schools, hospitals, kindergartens, energy, agriculture, and artificial intelligence. We are investing across the country, upgrading infrastructure, improving quality of life, and making Expo the biggest development opportunity for the entire country – and the region", Mali said.

Expectations are high: between three and four million visitors are anticipated, and more than one hundred countries will present themselves in their own pavilions. At a time of geopolitical tensions, observers also see diplomatic potential. At the opening in the Sava Center in Belgrade, representatives of various countries sit together – including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and the United States. Perhaps not side by side, but at least in the same hall.

"This is the largest event in Serbia’s history. Every citizen will feel the benefits. The most important thing is the legacy: after the Expo, development continues. It is the foundation for accelerated growth from 2028 – through better relations with other countries, a positive image, and new economic momentum", Mali said.

A calling card of a multinational state

Serbia aims to leverage its traditional foreign policy role as a bridge between East and West. This stance, shaped by the Balkans’ history and complex international relations, is meant to present the country as a neutral host. Outside organizations such as the UN or NATO, talks could take place in a more informal setting.

This role has a long tradition. A visit to the Palace of Serbia, formerly the Palace of Yugoslavia, clearly demonstrates this. The building, constructed in 1961 under Josip Broz Tito, was conceived as a central venue for state receptions and international conferences – an architectural calling card of a country seeking to mediate between East and West.

In 1961, leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement met in Belgrade, including Tito, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The palace still serves for state visits, and President Aleksandar Vucic regularly uses it for meetings with foreign guests.

Economic positioning

Serbia also aims to reposition itself economically. The country’s economy amounts to around €84 billion, with growth of 2 to 4 percent in recent years. Mali expects higher rates:

"Next year we are planning GDP growth of 5 percent. After that, 4.5 to 5 percent. That is why we have presented Serbia 2030 and Serbia 2035 as a vision beyond Expo. Expo is an important turning point, but only a step toward long-term, sustainable growth", he said.

The labor market has improved significantly: unemployment has fallen from 25.9 percent (2012) to 8.7 percent today.

Foto: Tanjug/Sava Radovanović

Belgrade has been undergoing rapid transformation in recent years. Many parts of the city are being built and modernized, with the "Belgrade Waterfront" project particularly symbolizing this transformation.

An opportunity for Europe

Serbia remains committed to EU accession, although the process is progressing slowly. Mali emphasizes that Expo is also an opportunity for Europe to demonstrate its capacities in technology and artificial intelligence.

Even in the event of political changes, he believes Expo will not be jeopardized, as there is broad political consensus.

A melting pot of traditions

Expo could become a meeting place of diverse cultures. Organizers also expect visitors from the diaspora, including from the Balkans and Switzerland.

"It will be a melting pot of traditions and cultures from around the world – an opportunity for everyone to present their own identity",  he said.

Until then, work in Surcin continues. The noise of machines fills the space, cranes rotate, and trucks deliver materials. Today, it is still a mix of dust, earth, concrete, and steel – but in a few months it is expected to become an international hub of encounters.

For Serbia, Expo is not just an exhibition – it is a political signal: that from a construction site, a rising country is taking shape.

Komentari (0)