Vucic: If we took over NIS, Russia would become an enemy state, and gas would be three times more expensive

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said, regarding certain proposals by opposition parties that the state should take back the Russian share in the ownership of Naftna industrija Srbije (NIS), that Serbia would then have to pay for gas three times more, because Russia would be made an enemy state.

– What do you want now? To make Russia an enemy state? To be considered an enemy state? To have the most expensive gas possible at this moment? That would happen in a second – Vucic told reporters at the Palace of Serbia.

According to him, the state currently pays USD 320 per cubic meter for Russian gas, while on the market it is USD 730.

– That price would be no more, we would not get it even for 730. Let’s say we tell the Russians that they cannot sell to the Hungarians. Great, then we have no more gas. If we were to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG), it would cost us 850 and 900 (USD per cubic meter), at least – Vucic stated.

Predsedništvo Republike Srbije

NIS a.d. Novi Sad

Vojska Srbije

President of Serbia

Naftna industrija Srbije

NIS

Aleksandar Vučić

takeover of NIS by the state

Russian gas price