The Serbian companies Energotehnika-Južna Bačka and Beofragment have secured three significant contracts from Elektrodistribucija Srbije for the construction of line infrastructure to supply electricity to the EXPO complex. The total value of the contracts is more than 1.4 billion dinars before tax, or over 12 million euros, while the value including tax reaches around 1.7 billion dinars, or slightly more than 14.5 million euros.
Energotehnika-Južna Bačka, owned by Dragoljub Zbiljić, is widely known for its involvement in large-scale state infrastructure projects. This company has already been awarded numerous contracts by Elektrodistribucija Srbije, EPS, EMS, the Serbian Railway Infrastructure, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Novi Sad Heating Plant, and other public entities. In 2023, Energotehnika experienced a sharp increase in business, with revenue growing from 14 to 27 billion dinars and profits more than doubling from 957.7 million to 2.42 billion dinars, which is just over 20 million euros.
Beofragment, Energotehnika’s partner on these projects, is a relatively new Belgrade-based company, founded in August 2021. Registered at an apartment in New Belgrade, it is owned by Mladen Cvijović and specializes in constructing electrical and telecommunication lines. Cvijović also co-owns another firm, MC Corona, with Vladimir Cvijović. MC Corona is engaged in similar construction activities and has been a subcontractor in multiple public contracts. Beofragment itself has 60 employees and significantly increased its revenues in 2023, growing from 477 to 829 million dinars, while its profit rose from 71 to 144 million dinars.
Beofragment has also been awarded other contracts with city companies such as Belgrade Waterworks and Sewerage and GSP Belgrade. Additionally, it has carried out extensive work for Elektrodistribucija alongside the company Jadran, based on a framework agreement signed in October 2023. MC Corona has regularly participated as a subcontractor in these engagements. The register also shows that Beofragment independently signed a framework agreement with EDS in December 2024, with Energotehnika-Južna Bačka listed as a subcontractor for infrastructure maintenance under that agreement.
MC Corona, originally founded in 1993, has a long-standing presence in the market and has worked with EPS, Belgrade’s public lighting company, the Požarevac city administration, and the Tax Administration. In 2024, it signed several framework agreements with EDS and achieved revenue of 1.25 billion dinars, with a profit of nearly 56 million dinars.
Elektrodistribucija Srbije recently published three tenders for the construction of line infrastructure needed to supply the EXPO complex. The first tender involves installing three concrete substations and two switchgear units at the National Stadium parking lot, as well as seven additional substations for powering telecommunications and optical infrastructure. The second tender concerns building four medium-voltage PRP facilities and laying 14 new 10kV lines to connect them. It also includes cable network installation linked to the first tender. The third tender involves building three PRPs, one of which is for a hotel and another for an aquatic center.
Energotehnika-Južna Bačka and Beofragment were selected for all three contracts. The first contract is valued at 437 million dinars, the second at 483 million, and the third at nearly 499 million dinars. Competing offers from Montprojekt and Geosmart were rejected.
According to contract award documents, Energotehnika-Južna Bačka is responsible for the majority of the work. The company will carry out 70 percent of the work on the first and third contracts and 83 percent on the second. Beofragment’s share is set at just two percent for each of the three projects. The remaining work will be divided among 11 subcontractors, including Elektromontaža (also owned by Zbiljić), MC Corona, Jadran, Tehnounion Energy, Elektroizgradnja, Interfast, Aviator Group, Graming, Elektroizgradnja Bajina Bašta, Digi Power, and SZR Gorionik.
In addition to these projects, Energotehnika-Južna Bačka was awarded a major contract last year by the Belgrade Electric Power Company for the construction of a trigeneration plant, in collaboration with 39 subcontractors. The value of that contract is 18 billion dinars. This plant will provide heating, cooling, and electricity for facilities within the National Stadium spatial plan, primarily intended for the EXPO complex. Location conditions for the phased construction were issued in July 2023 and revised in December. Preparatory work permits were granted in December, with completion of that phase expected by the end of 2025.
