Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vulin said today that he has asked Russian partners of Belgrade to begin negotiations on the Russian gas supply contract expiring in March next year, BTA reported.
In front of the Serbian state television, he indicated that in the end the decision will be made by the presidents of Russia Vladimir Putin and Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, as this is not only an economic but also a political decision.
Vulin met with Putin on Wednesday, and during the conversation the topic of the expiring contract for the supply of Russian gas was touched upon, as well as bilateral trade and the meetings of an intergovernmental commission of the two countries.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister commented today that this shows that Putin is thinking about Serbia, as Serbian exports to Russia are for the Russian side a "statistical error" and for Serbia it is of great importance.
„Do you think we will survive this winter without Russian gas. I think the two presidents will talk about it, Vulin said.
He also announced that the minister without portfolio responsible for international economic cooperation, Nenad Popovic, who is also co-chair of the Serbian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic and Scientific and Technical Cooperation, will meet with his Russian counterparts, to discuss the situation.
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the Russian president, said today that the agreement on the supply of Russian gas to Serbia could be extended as early as September, the TANYUG agency reported.
Kobyakov indicated to RIA Novosti that at Wednesday's meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, special emphasis was placed on the issue of the continuation of the gas agreement.
He specified that there is a possibility to extend the agreement during the international forum Russian Energy Week, which will take place between September 26 and 28 in Moscow.