The Russian ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan Kharchenko, stated that negotiations over the sale of Russian shares in Serbia’s Oil Industry (NIS) to the Hungarian company MOL have not yet been completed, but progress has been made.
In an interview with the media, Kharchenko said, “The entire process is moving in a direction that suits everyone, as confirmed by Serbian officials’ statements.”
“I can say that the current results of the negotiations fully align with the friendly relations between Russia and Serbia. Most importantly, they provide opportunities for continued cooperation in energy and other sectors,” Kharchenko added.
Asked whether he sees the U.S. authorities’ decision to extend NIS’s operating license until February 20 as a signal that the American side might approve the final deal for the sale of Russian shares to MOL, or if he anticipates other complications, he said he is “very cautious in this regard.”
“The NIS issue is very complicated; U.S. authorities are also involved, and we cannot rule anything out. This is the world we live in. The American decision to extend the license is important, especially to maintain NIS’s and the refinery’s functionality, as it is a key source for Serbia’s energy security. In other words, there is a ray of hope,” Bocan Kharchenko said.
Currently, NIS is under U.S. sanctions due to Russian majority ownership. To lift these sanctions, the U.S. administration is seeking the removal of Russian control from the company.
On January 19, the Hungarian group MOL confirmed it had signed a framework agreement with Russia’s Gazprom Neft to purchase 56.15% of NIS shares.
Final confirmation of the deal must be given by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
