Kerkentzes: Potential delay of EXPO 2027 practically no longer possible

BELGRADE - With just over six months to go until the specialised EXPO 2027, a potential delay of the event is practically no longer possible, says Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes, noting that the participants will start taking over their EXPO pavilions on December 1.

Asked whether all deadlines for holding the event could be met and if there was a possibility of a delay since Serbia's new government institutions have not been formed as yet, Kerkentzes told the Vreme weekly that any change of dates would have to be approved by a two-third majority in the BIE General Assembly.

"The dates for holding EXPO 2027 Belgrade, from May 15 to August 15, 2027, were established by the BIE member states when the expo was officially recognised on November 26, 2024. Any change of dates would require BIE General Assembly approval by a two-third majority. With just over six months to go until the opening, BIE regulatory timeframes practically no longer allow such a change," Kerkentzes said.

Elections are a normal part of democratic life and changes of government often happen before or even during the holding of EXPOs, he noted.