BELGRADE, November 25. /TASS/. Russia will keep the gas price for Serbia at $270 for the next six months, after which Belgrade will receive exclusive terms on a long-term contract from Moscow, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said following the talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Thursday.
"It was one of our longest meetings, we spoke for three hours vis-a-vis, spoke about all important issues. Of course, he (Putin - TASS) understands how important the issue of gas supplies is, of its volume and flexibility is as we need around 13 mln cubic meters of gas by the end of February, and 4-5 mln cubic meters in May-June. President Putin demonstrated exceptional friendship to Serbia: we managed to get an unbelievable gas price of $270 for the next six months, which means the gas price will not change for us, it will remain absolutely the same. We have agreed an increase in gas volumes in those six months, as well as flexibility [of supplies], about which I asked President Putin in particular," Vucic said, broadcast live from Sochi by the Pink TV channel.
The terms of the long-term gas contract provided by Russia to Serbia will be exceptional, Vucic said.
"We have also discussed the long-term agreement, with separate elements remaining. I have no right to speak about those elements until we sign the long-term deal. But I can say <...>, that after those six months, winter and the most difficult and expensive when the exchange price is above $1,000, but for us - $270, we will also have an exceptional [gas] price, an increase in supplies and, I believe, flexibility," the Serbian leader said.
"For people to understand, in the price of $270 we do not pay the exchange price of those six months for 1 bln and 200 mln cubic meters of gas that we will spend. We saved over 300 mln euros thanks to the friendship of President Putin, we saved money for one national stadium, those are huge funds! We have solved the problem, Serbia will have no problems with gas," Vucic said.