The South East Europe (SEE) Mobility International Fair, originally planned for April 24th and 25th in Belgrade, has been canceled. This decision stems from concerns among exhibiting companies from European Union (EU) countries regarding potential security risks for their representatives, especially following recent public comments from Serbia’s top officials labeling foreign individuals as adversaries, as reported by N1.

The organizer, the Southeast European Railway Cluster, revealed that firms from five EU nations and some leading associations within the European railway sector withdrew their participation, resulting in the fair’s cancellation.

Exhibitors and speakers expressed significant apprehension about the safety of their representatives in Serbia. They pointed to the expulsion of EU nationals from international conferences, a measure being enacted by Serbian state authorities. This concern is heightened by the direct targeting of executives from respected European firms within Serbia.

According to sources, foreign ministries and embassies have been alerting their nationals that Serbia’s highest political figures have been publicly accusing the West, particularly EU member states, of instigating a “color revolution” in the country and labeling foreign nationals as threats. Such rhetoric poses a risk to the safety of international business visitors to Serbia, as reported by N1.

This year’s SEE Mobility fair had been in preparation for over a year, and for the first time ever, the leaders of the three largest associations in the European railway sector—the International Union of Railways (UIC), the Union of European Railway Suppliers (UNIFE), and the European Railway Clusters Association (ERCI)—were set to attend the fair’s opening in Belgrade.

The Southeast European Railway Cluster emphasized that this cancellation significantly harms Serbia’s business reputation, suggesting it may take years to regain the trust of international partners following such a high-profile event’s cancellation.

News