The Serbian Commission for the Protection of Rights in Public Procurement has fully annulled another GSP Belgrade tender for the purchase of 170 new gas-powered solo buses.
Eight days earlier, the Commission also canceled a tender for 130 gas-powered articulated buses. Both cancellations halted the procurement process due to evidence of eliminating competition and favoring the Chinese manufacturer Higer, represented locally by DAT Holding, according to the GSP Belgrade union, Centar.
The union called for a public prosecutor’s investigation to determine individual responsibility, noting that restricted competition can lead to corruption, overpricing by up to 30%, and the purchase of low-quality buses, ultimately affecting both citizens and GSP employees.
As a result, GSP Belgrade is unlikely to receive new buses this year, delaying the city’s decision to limit bus age to 10 years until September 1, 2026.
The union urged that new tenders be prepared from scratch with input from engineers and experts to ensure fair competition and buses that meet the actual needs of Belgrade, rather than specifications copied from a single manufacturer’s catalog.
