Šušnjar, Photo: Screenshot/Youtube
Croatian Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said today that Croatia is ready to buy the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS) if that were the solution.
“Our hand is outstretched, if that is the solution, we are ready for that option,” Šušnjar told reporters, commenting on the introduction of US sanctions on NIS.
He said that in this way, the continuity and business interests of Jadranski nafotvode, which have been closely linked to NIS for 40 years, would be ensured “without any pretensions to dominate the retail market in Serbia.”
“That would make it easier for both us and Serbia,” added the Croatian minister, who comes from the right-wing Homeland Movement, a minority partner in the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
He added that the refinery in Pančevo supplies 20 percent of the derivatives market in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
“This is an additional challenge for BiH, and by the end of the month we expect the modernization of the refinery in Rijeka to be completed, which would increase capacity and in that way we could help BiH, and partially Serbia as well,” added Šušnjar, reported by Croatian Radio and Television.
He rejected assessments that the developments with NIS and sanctions threaten Croatia’s position in negotiations with MOL on supplying Hungary and Slovakia with sufficient quantities of oil.
The minister said that Croatia is ready to deliver sufficient quantities of oil to Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia when circumstances and geopolitical opportunities allow.
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