A press conference was held today at the Belgrade Fair on the occasion of the 55th International Car Show and the 15th International motorcycle, quad, scooter and equipment show “Motopassion” which will take place from March 22 to 28.
250 exhibitors will present 33 car brands, including 40 models that will be shown for the first time, while 60 exhibitors will present more than 40 brands of motorcycles, quads and scooters. The shows will be accompanied by diverse programs – announcement of the car of the year, safe driving trainings, conferences, etc.
Speakers at the conference included Zoran Lupšić, organizer of the events, Francesco Masci, Chairman of the Executive Board of DDOR Osiguranje, general sponsor of the event, Aleksandra Đurđević, President of the Serbian Association of Vehicle and Spare Parts Importers, and Igor Ševo, Chairman of the General Assembly of the Association of Motor Vehicles Manufacturers.
Coordinator of the Belgrade Fair, Zoran Lupšić, said that this year’s event would be organized in a slightly different form, considering the current problems faced by car manufacturers and the disproportion between production and demand. Namely, this year the duration will be shortened from ten to seven days, without the commercial segment, which is typical of such shows.
Lupšić went on to add: „There are no large warehouses for quick delivery of vehicles, there are no discounts because market conditions – supply and demand – dictate such a pricing policy. It is all the more important that we have managed to organize this event and assemble virtually all leading global brands, 33 to be exact.“ He also mentioned the budget cuts for Serbian exhibitors, primarily importers, which affected their marketing activities and their appearance at the show. „That was the reason why we agreed to organize this year’s show using uniform stands designed by the Belgrade Fair, while adding small corporate elements and accessories to present the corporate identity. What is important this year is that the corporate identity will be presented through exhibited models“, he explained. As for the presentation of two-wheelers, this year will prove to be the largest ever in terms of the number of exhibitors, the size of the area used and the number of additions to the show – a total of 40 models of motorcycles and scooters will be presented in 60 stands. He also announced many new exhibits and the return of some brands which were absent in previous years, such as Kawasaki and Keeway.
After greeting the reporters and the representatives of the Belgrade Fair and the automotive industry, the Chairman of the Executive Board of DDOR Osiguranje, Francesco Masci, said: “I would like to thank the organizers of this year’s Belgrade Car Show for another first-class event in the region, which is important not only for the economy and the automotive industry, but also for the city of Belgrade and all interested parties, including DDOR which has been the general sponsor of the Belgrade Car Show for an entire decade. I am pleased to speak on behalf of one of the largest insurance companies on the Serbian market which belongs to Unipol Group, a leading player in the European financial sector. Both DDOR and Unipol Group are closely connected with the automotive industry and have an unparalleled competitive position in the domain of motor insurance. It goes without saying that the automotive and insurance industries play a key role in the economy, protection of the environment, transition to sustainable mobility, and integration of the ESG framework into business strategies and corporate culture, through joint efforts which can strengthen economic growth. I would also like to address the issue of road safety, which is becoming increasingly important and which is the central topic of the mobility initiatives proposed by the EU and the UN, as well as our presence at this year’s Car Show, where our intention is to raise people’s awareness of road safety. Unfortunately, statistical data show that the number of road deaths increased by 3% last year on the territory of the EU. This percentage is even higher in the Western Balkans. For this very reason, in cooperation with NAVAK Academy, we have prepared a special activation for the Show which includes a virtual reality where visitors will be able to experience extreme traffic situations. We believe that it is better to have this experience in a controlled environment than in real traffic conditions.“
The President of the Serbian Association of Vehicle and Spare Parts Importers, Aleksandra Đurđević, mentioned that what was determined last year as the direction in which the world was moving is clearly and undoubtedly electrification. „We need to make sure that our markets are ready for this transformation, the biggest in the automotive industry, because until now, it always meant upgrading the existing engine, but now it is happening on multiple levels.“ She announced the presentation of several electric car models at this year’s show, along with several hybrid models that will be available on the Serbian market. Đurđević expressed her support for the decision of the Serbian government to increase the amount of subsidies for the purchase of this type of vehicles, adding that the association will pay special attention to the infrastructure for electric vehicles in the coming period.
The Chairman of the General Assembly of the Association of Motor Vehicles Manufacturers, Igor Ševo, expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation with the Belgrade Fair and the Association of Importers, adding that, despite the circumstances, it was very important to hold the fair. „We are witnessing fairs around the globe being canceled, postponed, or awaiting better times. I believe that fairs need to be held – as an opportunity for the public to see what is happening in our industry right now. At fairs people can see the direction this industry is going, learn about new products and get a realistic picture.“