INA sold gas stations to Russians - Lukoil took over daughter company of Croatian petroleum company

And while Croatian petroleum company INA litigates against Russian Lukoil before the Commercial Court in Belgrade to regain the ownership of 167 gas stations, these two companies cooperate very well in Croatia. INA announced on Friday that it had sold 100% ownership of its daughter company Crobenz to Lukoil. In that way, the Russian company included another 14 gas stations in its retail network in Croatia.

But all that would not be so surprising if INA did not sue Lukoil Europa Holding in Belgrade, together with the Privatization Agency and the Share Fund of Serbia. The Croatian company asks for the return of its property and the damage compensation in amount of 200 million euros. Gas stations and other property that INA considers to be its own became a property of Beopetrol during the disintegration of Yugoslavia, while Beopetrol was later privatized by Lukoil.

INA concluded the sales contract with Lukoil Kroacija on July 21 and thus sold the retail network comprising 14 gas stations under the trademark of Crobenz. Few days later, the Croatian Agency for Competition Protection agreed on the sale.

Russian Lukoil may also be sued in Croatia for the same reason as in Serbia because the gas stations it bought as a part of Krobenz had belonged to Belgrade-based Jugopetrol prior to 1991. Five years ago, NIS made a list of the property in Croatia it is entitled to.