Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is preparing a new economic program called “Serbia 2035”, while the current ambitious plan “Leap into the Future 2027” approaches its deadline in less than two years. A review of the plan’s major projects shows mixed progress and several delays.
Key infrastructure projects include highways, railways, sewage networks, and the BIO4 scientific campus. However, significant investments like the BIO4 campus and the reversible power plant in Bistrica are notably absent from official lists of capital projects, raising questions about transparency.
Major highway projects such as the E-761 (Pojate – Preljina) and E-763 (Preljina – Požega) sections are underway, with deadlines set for 2026 and 2025 respectively. However, safety concerns have been raised, especially regarding the Munja Brdo tunnel on the E-763, where the highway opened without required automatic monitoring systems. Medical teams, firefighters, and police have been stationed there as a precaution.
The Belgrade-Niš railway modernization, backed financially by the European Union and initially promised to be completed by 2026, has been delayed until 2029. Similarly, the Belgrade–Zrenjanin highway project started in late 2022 and is expected to finish by 2029. In contrast, the Ruma–Šabac–Loznica road was completed on time in 2024.
Cost overruns are a recurring issue. The Fiscal Council estimates that road infrastructure projects have exceeded their original budgets by an average of at least 65%, with some costs tripling. The Hungarian-Serbian railway project, set for 2025 completion, was marred by a fatal accident and structural failures, delaying its opening and raising public safety concerns.
The Belgrade metro’s first line, with a price tag of over €600 million and originally planned to start in 2016, continues to face multiple postponements. Construction of key stations is scheduled through 2025 and 2026, but full completion is not expected until 2031.
Other major projects include EXPO Belgrade 2027 and the National Stadium, costing approximately €1.8 billion combined. Analysts remain skeptical about their feasibility given the tight timelines and previous construction safety issues.
A €3.1 billion sewage and waste management infrastructure project is underway, but questions remain about Serbia’s financing choices and transparency, especially since environmental taxes collected since 2004 have not clearly contributed to such projects.
Demographically, Serbia is losing tens of thousands of people annually to emigration. Over 340,000 Serbian citizens acquired EU residence permits between 2013 and 2021, but the government has not yet addressed the root causes or consequences of this trend.
With general elections scheduled for late 2027, the public will soon evaluate the government’s ability to deliver on its economic promises. So far, many capital projects are behind schedule, costs have increased significantly, and safety and profitability remain uncertain.
