The “Center – GSP Belgrade” trade union has demanded that the state-owned company Expo 2027 explain its proposal for the procurement of electric buses, claiming that it favors a private carrier at the expense of the public transport operator and taxpayers.
According to the union, the proposal envisions the involvement of the private transport company Strela from Obrenovac during the international exhibition Expo 2027. The state company estimates that 100 electric buses will be needed between May 15 and August 15, 2027, to operate on seven new lines and one feeder line. The plan foresees that Expo 2027 would finance the purchase of 50 capacitor-type buses for GSP Belgrade, while the remaining 50 battery-powered buses would be procured by Strela, owned by Miroslav Nikolić, which would operate three of the new routes.
The union stated that these projections are based on a Transport Study prepared by Expo 2027 and submitted to the City Administration of Belgrade, but that the study has not been made public.
During the Expo, the following new bus lines are planned:
- Expo 1 (Nikola Tesla Airport – Expo Terminus)
- Expo 2 (Belgrade Waterfront – Expo Terminus)
- Expo 3 (Borča 3 – Expo Terminus)
- Expo 4 (Vuk Monument – Expo Terminus)
- Expo 5 (Ustanička – Expo Terminus)
- Expo 6 (New Belgrade Block 20 – Expo Terminus)
- Expo 7 (New Belgrade Block 45 – Expo Terminus)
- and a feeder line (Railway Station – Expo Entrances).
Under the state company’s proposal, Strela would operate lines Expo 1, Expo 3, and Expo 5, receiving funding from the state budget, while GSP Belgrade would run the remaining lines.
The union also pointed out that the construction of transformer stations and charging infrastructure at terminuses would be financed by the state, even though the private company would use that infrastructure.
“This proposal raises serious concerns about why a state-owned enterprise is recommending a private firm over the public transport operator, and why the costs of bus procurement and charger installation should fall on citizens, while a private company benefits,” the union stated.
Additionally, the union noted that Strela plans to purchase battery-type electric buses available from several manufacturers, whereas GSP Belgrade is expected to buy capacitor-type buses, offered exclusively by one private company — DAT Holding.
The union concluded by demanding that the Expo 2027 Transport Study be made public and asked the state company to clarify why the document is being kept secret and how many millions of euros the arrangement with a pre-selected firm will cost citizens.
