BELGRADE, January 15. /TASS/. The Hungarian government expects that MOL company will reach an agreement in coming days on the purchase of the controlling stake in NIS (Naftna Industrija Srbije) company from Russia’s Gazprom Neft, Hungary’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said after the meeting with Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic.
"The government of Hungary provides diplomatic support to MOL, so that to enable it to enter the Serbian oil market as the future majority owner of NIS," Szijjarto said.
"The agreement between MOL and the current majority owner of NIS, Gazprom Neft, may be achieved in coming days," Szijjarto said. This refers to acquiring the controlling stake, he added.
As soon as the agreement is reached, the parties will notify the US OFAC for an authorization to make the deal, the minister said.
NIS owners have to sell their assets because they were hit by US sanctions earlier.