FinMin on EXPO: Serbia to be center of world in 2027
Jelena Babsek
~2 minutes
Serbian Finance Minster Sinisa Mali said the EXPO 2027 international exhibition is the biggest and most important event for Serbia in the past few decades and that the country was chosen to host the exhibition over strong competitors that included the United States of America, Thailand, Spain and Argentina.
"For me there is a symbolic meaning to this – in 2012 we were on the verge of bankruptcy and in 2027 we will be the centre of the world," Mali told Prva TV.
He added that he is expecting over three million visitors at the exhibition.
"We see this as a new development opportunity for our country," said the Minister, noting that Serbia is planning to invest 12 to 14 billion euros in infrastructure and new development projects.
He said the construction of the EXPO center will be financed partly from loans and partly by the state.
A new national stadium, Belgrade fair, 1,500 apartments and the EXPO venue site will be built in 127 hectares of land.
"We want to make a miracle," said Minister Mali.
A contract for the construction of infrastructure has been signed, he said, adding that he expects the construction of the stadium, Belgrade fair and EXPO to start in seven to eight months.
