Tender for 60 New Trolleybuses for Belgrade's GSP Officially Fails Due to Lack of Financing

The procurement of 60 new vehicles for Belgrade’s Public Transport Company (GSP) has officially failed, as the only bid submitted lacked the necessary financial leasing arrangements, Ivan Banković, head of the "Centar" GSP Union, told FoNet. He noted that bidders were unable to secure financial backing due to the company's substantial outstanding debts.

Critical of the city administration's management, Banković stated that state involvement will now be necessary to complete the purchase. The only bid received was from "SDT Group" for trolleybuses with a 20-kilometer battery autonomy, valued at 53.92 million euros.

Banković recalled that the union had repeatedly warned GSP leadership and city authorities that the tender could not succeed without guaranteed funds and city backing. Following an emergency meeting between unions, workers, and civic associations, an initiative was launched requesting that state-level authorities take over the procurement directly—similar to the model used for acquiring 50 electric buses for EXPO. He concluded that mismanagment and the increasing privatization of routes over the past three years have left both the city and GSP financially incapable of purchasing new fleet vehicles independently.