Serbia would like to secure for itself better terms under the privatization deal
for oil and gas firmNIS [BEL:NIIS] signed with Russia's Gazprom Neft,
Belgrade-based media quoted prime minister Aleksandar Vucic as telling a news
conference on Thursday.
In late 2008, Gazprom Neft signed a 400 million
euro ($544 million) deal to acquire from the Serbian state a 51% stake in NIS.
The Gazprom unit has since raised its stake to 56.15% with the government in
Belgrade still controlling 29.9%.
On Monday, the Serbian government said
the country's internal affairs ministry has formed a special investigation team
to examine all facts and circumstances related to the privatization deal for the
NIS stake.
Stressing that the intention is not to sour relations with
Russia, Vucic still listed several issues the Serbian side is unhappy with like
the profit-sharing and a lowly 3.0% mineral resource royalty fixed as part of
the terms of the privatization deal for NIS, state-run news broadcaster RTS
reported.
In June, NIS said it will pay out as dividend 13.08 billion
dinars ($153 million/112.7 million euro) from last year's net profit of 52.3
billion dinars.
In a video file posted on the website of news outlet
Tanjug, Vucic goes on to say at the same news conference the Serbian side also
considers that the investments NIS is making into its fuel retailing business
"are not sufficiently visible and [..] sufficiently clear."
NIS is one of
the largest vertically integrated companies in Southeast Europe. Its main
activities include the exploration, production and processing of oil and gas, as
well as the production and retail of a wide range of petroleum products.