MOL made the announcement late Saturday, an earlier extended deadline for finishing the talks.

“Negotiations have progressed materially and the current additional license extension allows for the finalization of transaction documentation,” MOL said.

MOL signed a heads of terms agreement in January on the acquisition of a 56.15pc stake in NIS from Russia’s Gazprom Neft which was targeted by United States sanctions.

The state of Serbia holds a 29.87% stake in NIS.