EVENT DEDICATED TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES BEGINS IN NOVI SAD, MAYOR MIĆIN PARTICIPATES IN SMART CITY PANEL

The Mayor of Novi Sad Žarko Mićin addressed the audience at the beginning of the panel titled “Telegroup: Smart Cities in Practice – Technological Foundations of Urban Mobility”, held as part of the fifth annual Electric Vehicle Days, officially opened today at the Novi Sad Fair. The event is organized by Ninamedia and the Faculty of Technical Sciences, with RTS as the media partner.

Over the course of two days, the event will showcase leading companies from the automotive industry, manufacturers of components, parts, and software for electric vehicles, as well as innovators in electric and hybrid vehicle infrastructure.

- Novi Sad is a city undergoing rapid development, attracting the most prestigious global companies to open their research and development centers here. So far, 14 modern factories have been opened, including Continental, Nidec, Barry Callebaut, and BMTS. By the end of the year, we expect the opening of the fifteenth— a semi-robotized factory of automotive giant SHAC from Shanghai. Novi Sad is also a university hub and a regional ICT center, home to 900 companies employing over 15,000 people from Novi Sad -said Mićin.

He highlighted that Novi Sad was the first city in Serbia to implement a Smart City program back in 2015.

- We have invested in smart infrastructure — from the installation of smart LED lighting and the introduction of hyper-local air quality measuring devices, to bike sharing, smart parking, and other services. We built a green waste treatment plant based on the principles of circular economy. Two underground garages have been opened, equipped with electric vehicle charging stations and integrated systems for monitoring available parking spaces. Since mid-2023, alongside 100 natural gas buses, new electric buses have been introduced into the city transport system, contributing to environmental protection. We are planning to build a regional waste management center to enable modern treatment and recycling methods. Additionally, the construction of three new bridges, new bicycle paths, the Fruška Gora Corridor, modernization of the Žeželj Bridge, and the development of other transport routes represent opportunities for improving connectivity, sustainability, and urban mobility. Thanks to the University of Novi Sad and its strong ties to the business community, the city will continue to invest in urban infrastructure and enhance its public services - concluded Mićin.

The panel discussion was moderated by Miloš Petković from Telegroup, with participants including Dejan Veličković, Head of the Traffic Management Sector at the Belgrade City Secretariat for Transport, Vesna Vlahović, General Director of Yunex Traffic, and Borko Crnogorac from Telekom Srbija.

Entry to the exhibition area in the Master Hall and the vehicle testing zone is free of charge for all visitors.

Novi Sad, September 11, 2025