Bocan-Harchenko against NIS nationalization, Vučić announces good news for Belgrade

(Patria) - Possible nationalization of the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS) under United States sanctions would be contrary to the intergovernmental agreement on energy cooperation between Russia and Serbia, stated the Russian Ambassador to Belgrade, Aleksandar Bocan-Harchenko, yesterday, and shortly after, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced good news for Belgrade in this case, Beta reported last night.

Bocan-Harchenko told RIA Novosti in an interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that there is an agreement from 2008 on cooperation between Russia and Serbia in the oil and gas sector.

"And we must adhere to that agreement. And that is important," he said.
He added that the decision on NIS must be in line with the spirit of relations between Moscow and Belgrade, and generally in line with the aforementioned agreement.
A little later, Vučić also commented.

Vučić said that he had important talks with the US authorities, and according to Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), "the news is good for Serbia".

Vučić held talks on resolving the NIS issue with the US administration, OFAC, and the State Department, as well as with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, RTS stated.

He will present more details on what this means for Serbia and NIS on January 1st on RTS, they announced.

It was previously reported that one of the potential buyers of NIS is the Hungarian MOL, Beta reminds.