MOL interested in Slovenian Petrol

"MOL's target in Slovenia is Petrol d.d., the largest oil refining and natural gas distribution group. The company is not presently for sale, but we will always be interested in entering the Slovenian market," said MOL spokesman Szabolcs Ferencz in a press conference in Vienna.

"Petrol did not receive any official notice from MOL expressing interest in a partnership or acquisition," Petrol spokesperson Aleksander Salkic said. MOL CEO Gyorgy Mosony announced Wednesday that Serbia and Croatia are also among the countries in which the company is interested in buying production facilities.

The Hungarian group is thereby attempting to defend itself against OMV's "unsolicited and unwelcome" takeover offer.

LukOil representatives confirmed for Business Standard their interest in a partnership with the Hungarian group, but no details were shared.

"We are honored by MOL's intention and admit that we are interested in a partnership with the Hungarian group," said the head of LukOils's PR Office, Dimitri Dolgov.

In his turn, MOL spokesman Thomas Huemer also told Business Standard that MOL's interest in partnerships with Russian companies is strange, and considers that the reaction of the Hungarian company's management is an emotional one.