Slovenija
Bosna i Hercegovina
Hrvatska
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the situation surrounding the negotiations for a change in the ownership of the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) is "difficult." He emphasized that for a successful, and crucially, Washington-approved, exit of the Russian partners from the ownership structure, the Americans need to see all the details of the contract currently being negotiated.
Speaking during a visit to the stands at the "Wine Vision by Open Balkan" fair in Belgrade, Vucic added that achieving this is "not realistic within five days," the current duration of the negotiations.
"We need the license [for NIS to continue operating] as soon as possible, or 'yesterday', so that the refinery in Pancevo doesn't shut down. Serbia has secured reserves; citizens will not feel the consequences, but the state will," the President noted.
When asked why Serbia is not exercising its pre-emptive right to purchase the stake, Vucic explained that while a minority owner always retains this right, the current situation does not involve a voluntary sale, which complicates matters significantly.
"Those who speak to us about the pre-emptive right to purchase are the ones who exercised the pre-emptive right to sell. NIS was 100 per cent in Serbian hands; [the former authorities] first sold 56 percent of the company to the Russians, and then 14 per cent to small shareholders. And I am to blame for not buying the share from someone who does not want and will not sell it?" Vucic questioned. He added that he cannot tell the Russians they are prohibited from selling to Arabs, Hungarians, or British Petroleum.
He strongly suggested that an "unfriendly takeover" is what "many in the world want Serbia to do," but stressed that this is the last resort to be considered only when all other options have been exhausted.
Human safari allegations
Commenting on his announced lawsuits against the British media outlets The Guardian and Daily Mail, which reported that an indictment was filed against the incumbent Serbian President for alleged participation in "human safaris" during the war years in Sarajevo, Vucic confirmed he will hire lawyers within 15 days to sue them for millions.
He reiterated that he will engage the most expensive global attorneys who will work on a contingency basis, meaning their court fees will be performance-based.
"When someone tells such a big lie, they will have a lot to pay," Vucic concluded.
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