Russia’s Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Gazprom, is interested in the privatization of Serbia’s oil monopoly Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), the country’s deputy energy minister, Slobodan Sokolovic, was quoted as saying by Tanjug news agency yesterday.
The Russian delegation will visit NIS, its refineries and storage facilities, he added.
Merrill Lynch and Raiffeisen Investment, which are advising the government on the sale, have proposed a phased privatization, initially putting on sale only a 25 percent stake. The outgoing government of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica expected to get at least $300 million for the 25 percent stake.
(Reuters, 01/03/2007)