68th International Fair of Technique Opens in Belgrade The Belgrade Fair opened its doors this week to a familiar ritual with new political weight: Serbia’s 68th International Fair of Technique and Technical Achievements, suddenly recast as a dress rehearsal for Expo 2027.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Đuro Macut cut the ribbon, using the opening to pitch Serbia as a future “country of knowledge, innovation and creativity” to the world, with Expo 2027 as the big stage. Around 600 exhibitors from 31 countries and some 70 innovations are on show through May 22, turning the capital’s fairgrounds into a showcase for everything from industrial hardware to AI tools.

From the start, the government line was clear: this is not just a trade fair, it is branding. Pro‑government daily Republika framed the event as a platform where “it is important to present the potential of EXPO 2027 as well,” explicitly tying the fair’s agenda to the coming specialized exhibition. Macut, a doctor and professor by training, doubled down, saying he “deeply” believes that “knowledge, research, and innovation are the greatest strength of a country.”

By midday, Politika was amplifying the same message almost verbatim, stressing Macut’s insistence that Expo 2027 is a “great opportunity” for Serbia to showcase itself globally as a hub of innovation. The paper highlighted his pride in state investment in science‑technology parks, digitalization, artificial intelligence and tighter links between academia and industry, presented as the “basis of future development.”

Fair officials followed the script. The event’s slogan, “Technology without a mask,” was touted as capturing a moment when technology is no longer about distant futures but everyday life, industry, education, medicine and society. The chairman of the Belgrade Fair’s Supervisory Board cast the show as more than a catalogue of gadgets, calling it a place “where visions of the future are realized” by leading companies, engineers, researchers and decision‑makers.

If the exhibitors deliver, this week’s fair is less about what’s on the stands—and more about whether Serbia can convincingly sell itself as ready for the Expo spotlight.