Vucic: We believe MOL, Gazprom neft will finish NIS talks by May 22

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday evening he believed the Hungarian oil firm MOL and Russia's Gazprom neft would by May 22 finish talks on MOL's acquisition of a Russian stake in the Serbian oil company NIS.

NIS is under US sanctions due to its Russian-majority ownership.

"We believe MOL and Gazprom will get their job done by May 22," Vucic said in an appearance on the RTS.

He noted it was important that Serbia's Pancevo oil refinery was operating, and that it had processed around 10,000 t of crude oil a day last month.

"We expect between 11,000 and 12,000 t (a day) to be processed next month," Vucic added.