BELGRADE/ZAGREB, Sept 9 (Hina) - Serbian Economy and Privatisation Minister Aleksandar Vlahovic told Radio Belgrade on Tuesday he would invite representatives of the Croatian oil company Ina for talks this week, adding, however, that
the talks would not focus on the indemnification or a possible restitution of Ina property.
BELGRADE/ZAGREB, Sept 9 (Hina) - Serbian Economy and Privatisation
Minister Aleksandar Vlahovic told Radio Belgrade on Tuesday he
would invite representatives of the Croatian oil company Ina for
talks this week, adding, however, that the talks would not focus on
the indemnification or a possible restitution of Ina property. #L#
Vlahovic says his ministry is open for talks with all potential
investors, but "it does not intend to conduct talks about the
restitution of Ina's property", while all other talks -- such as
Ina's investments in the Serbian market and its possible
cooperation with the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) -- are possible.
Vlahovic's ministry claims that the privatisation of Beopetrol is
completely transparent. The ministry said it expected a purchase
and sales contract with Russia's Lukoil to be signed within a
month.
Late last week, Ina forwarded a statement to the Serbian media
stating in detail the chronology of the illegal separation of Ina's
property in Serbia in 1990, on the basis of which the Serbian oil
company Beopetrol was founded.
The privatisation of Beopetrol triggered reactions in Serbia as
well. A former member of the NIS Management Board, Branko Pavlovic,
told the Pregled daily that the sale of Beopterol, without solving
property relations with Ina, had jeopardised NIS' interest
regarding its property in Croatia to a great extent.
According to Pavlovic, NIS claims 37 of 50 percent of the Adriatic
Oil Pipelines (JANAF), while NIS' property in Croatia is estimated
to amount to at least US$400 million.
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