President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic (photo - EPA)

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is disappointed with Russia's position on gas supplies to his country. Vucic said this said in an interview with Informer.

"We were offered a gas contract until the New Year, and I said that this news was very disappointing. We were supposed to sign a deal by May. Why by the New Year? Because they want to tell us: if you are going to nationalize NIS or do something else, we can cut off the gas on December 31," said the Serbian president.

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According to Vucic, such moves are worrisome, although Serbia has no plans to nationalize the NIS oil company.

The main co-owners of NIS are Russia's Gazprom Neft (44.85%) and the Serbian government (29.87%). Another 11.3% of NIS shares are owned by JSC Intelligence (managed by Gazprom Capital LLC, which concentrates, among other things, the financial investments of the Gazprom Group).

Earlier on Saturday, Vucic announced a meeting with Gazprom Neft CEO Alexander Dyukov and Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin, scheduled for Monday, October 13. The Serbian president is going to voice proposals at the meeting that, in his words, are favorable to the Russian side.

At the same time, he expressed doubt that the Russian side would accept these proposals.

Energy Minister Dubravka Jedovic-Handanovic hopes that the meeting will find a solution that meets Serbia's interests.

"We want to act within the framework of international law and be reliable partners for all investors. But, as we heard yesterday, the company's management hopes that the president will find some solution at the highest level. However, even the President of Serbia does not have a magic wand," he said said minister.

  • The situation with Serbia's energy security has become more complicated after the October 9 US imposes sanctions against the Serbian oil company NIS.
  • The Croatian operator of the Adriatic oil pipeline, JANAF, has announced that it can no longer supply oil to the Serbian company. Meanwhile, the Croatian authorities say they are ready to to buy 20-25% of the Russian share in the Oil Industry of Srbije.