Mali: EXPO 2027 biggest development opportunity for Serbia, region

BELGRADE - At the opening of the first International Planning Meeting for the specialised EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said the expo was the biggest development opportunity for Serbia as well as the entire region.

Greeting all participants on behalf of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Mali noted that more than 400 delegates from 154 countries around the world and five international institutions were in attendance.

That shows how justified hosting EXPO 2027 is, he noted.

"It also shows the enormous interest of all countries in the world in what will be taking place in Belgrade, and in the theme - play for humanity, play for the future," Mali said at Sava Centar.

He thanked all who had placed their trust in Serbia and Belgrade to host the specialised expo.

"The Serbia you are in today - and I want to talk about that, too - is not the same as the Serbia from just 12-13 years ago. We have changed a lot. The world has changed, too, dear friends, but so have we. I am not ashamed to say that, as a country, we were facing bankruptcy just 13 years ago, but when you come to Serbia today, when you come to Belgrade, you are in a country that is the third fastest-growing economy in Europe. In a country that has the lowest-ever unemployment rate. In a country that is the absolute leader in attracting FDI. In a country where new kilometres of high-speed rail lines, motorways and expressways are inaugurated every day and every month and, ultimately, in a country that has obtained an investment-grade credit rating for the first time in its history," Mali said.

He noted that Serbia was the only country in the region and the only EU candidate country with an investment-grade credit rating.

"That says enough about stability and prosperity and, at the end of the day, about the economic policy conducted by the Government of Serbia and our President Vucic," Mali said.

He also said 114 countries had confirmed their participation in EXPO 2027 to date.