Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that the Hungarian oil company MOL could potentially take over a portion of Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), which is currently under U.S. sanctions due to its Russian ownership. His comments were reported yesterday by several media outlets in Belgrade.
“In Serbia, the Russians hold a majority stake in the oil company, and they are under sanctions, so Serbia must take certain steps. In theory, MOL could play a role in this, as it is one of the strongest energy companies in the region,” Szijjártó said in the TV program “Time of Truth,” as quoted by RIA Novosti.
Last week, the Belgrade weekly NIN reported that intensive negotiations were underway regarding the sale of the Russian-owned share of NIS. According to their information, “the Russians are counting on the Hungarian MOL”—more precisely, on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—with a plan for MOL to purchase 11.3 percent of NIS shares.
Details of the plan are expected to be finalized in mid-November, when a delegation from Moscow is scheduled to visit Budapest. The weekly added that Hungary is not the only potential partner, as negotiations are also being held with the United Arab Emirates.
