Serbia has adopted a special legal framework (lex specialis) to expedite preparations for the EXPO 2027 exhibition in Belgrade by suspending many standard laws, including parts of urban planning, construction and public procurement regulations. While aimed at speeding up construction and completion, experts warn this creates significant risks for abuse, lack of transparency, and weakened oversight.
The special law allows for bypassing usual procedures such as local government consultations, location permits, and compliance with existing spatial plans. Instead, the government directly issues construction permits, and buildings can operate based on a technical commission’s approval rather than traditional use permits. Temporary pavilions will receive limited permits and be removed after the event.
Critics highlight that the law’s vague language could extend its application to other infrastructure projects, potentially undermining legal standards beyond EXPO 2027. The regime expires at the end of 2028, but concerns remain over the lasting impact on Serbia’s urban and legal landscape.
Transparency advocates also express alarm over the suspension of the Public Procurement Law, which removes legal protections against potentially rigged contracts. Since the law’s adoption, contracts worth hundreds of millions of euros have been awarded without public tenders, sometimes based on interstate agreements.
Public debate revealed further uncertainties, such as the unclear distribution and amount of funds allocated for related projects like facade restoration.
While the government emphasizes the need for fast-track procedures to meet EXPO deadlines, experts caution that sacrificing transparency and legal safeguards could result in long-term negative consequences for Serbia’s governance and public trust.
