Russians negotiating with three partners about selling stake in NIS, did not want Serbia to be the buyer

The Russians are negotiating with three partners about selling their stake in Naftna industrija Srbije (NIS) and these negotiations should be completed soon, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said.

He also said that he would be talking to representatives of the US administration in the coming days in order to obtain a license for the continuation of the operation of NIS, namely the refinery in Pancevo, until the sale of NIS is completed.

– Today is the 41st day since the US sanctions were introduced and no one has felt that we are not receiving oil through the Janaf oil pipeline and our refinery has not yet been closed and there are still no problems at the gas stations – Vucic reminded, stating that the state had been responsible when creating fuel reserves.

He described as “nonsense” the claims that Serbia is providing money to buy NIS, while the owner is someone else.

– If someone else buys it, they will take it with their own money, not ours, but that is Russia’s choice. We cannot even insist on the right of first refusal, which we have as a minority partner, because the Russians will tell us that this is not a voluntary, but a forced sale – said the Serbian president.

Vucic said that Serbia would have the money to pay for the Russian share in NIS, but they decided to negotiate with others. He reminded that NIS was owned by a Russian state company in the amount of 56%.

– The Russians are the owners, not us, and not thanks to me or anyone from my surroundings, but thanks to those who sold it in 2008 as one of the most important resources, at a time when we had significantly untapped oil deposits, which were one of the most important elements in the growth of the company’s profits – said Vucic.

He dismissed that claims that nothing had been done regarding NIS since the beginning of the year as incorrect, stating that he had been under great pressure from many sides and that despite that, attempts had been made to resolve the problem on many occasions, and that he had only met with Russian President Vladimir Putin twice, and that he had also spoken with representatives of the US administration many times.

NIS a.d. Novi Sad

Naftna industrija Srbije ad Novi Sad

NIS

Pančevo Oil Refinery

Aleksandar Vučić

Vladimir Putin

sanctions on NIS

sale of NIS

NIS license