Vucic: Outcome of talks with US about new NIS licence to become known within 48 hours

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Thursday he would hold talks with the US about a new operating licence for Serbia's Russian majority-owned oil company NIS - which is under US sanctions - and said he believed he would be able to inform the public of the outcome of the talks within 48 hours. 

A new licence would enable NIS and its oil refinery to operate without obstructions during talks about a change of ownership of the Russian stake in the company. "In the next two to three days, we will have to speak with America. I will personally ask everyone at the (US) Department of the Treasury to help us obtain a licence so that the refinery can operate. We have not been successful so far, we will see whether we will now. I will work and try - we will inform you within 48 hours," he added.

Asked by a reporter to comment on a statement by opposition leader Zdravko Ponos that "it is too early for joy about NIS" and Ponos's question about the source of funding for a purchase of the Russian stake, Vucic responded: "If it was our money, it would be evident because we would be boasting of that." He reiterated the Russian side was in talks with three companies about a sale of its holdings in the company.

Vucic: I know of three partners Russians are in talks with about NIS

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday he knew of three partners the Russian side was in talks with about a sale of its stake in Serbia's oil company NIS, which is under US sanctions.

"I know of three partners they are in talks with. Will they get the job done with someone or not, we will see. I hope they will, because the sooner they get that job done (the better). We have accepted and signed everything they have requested," Vucic told reporters at a UK-Western Balkans regional business conference in Belgrade.