Veliki dio srbijanske javnosti, međutim, nije bio dirnut takvim obećanjima, smatrajući u stvari da je Beograd prodao NIS -- srbijansku državnu naftnu kompaniju -- Gazpromu za premalo novaca u cilju ostvarivanja diplomatske podrške Rusije.
Much of the Serbian public, though, was unmoved by such promises, believing instead that Belgrade sold NIS -- the Serbian state oil company -- to Gazprom for far too little money, in pursuit of Russian diplomatic backing.