Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on Tuesday that the United States has not yet decided whether to extend the work license for the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS), which was sanctioned last month due to its Russian ownership.
NIS is awaiting a response from U.S. authorities regarding its request to continue operations while negotiating the sale of its Russian-owned shares.
“The Russians do not want to sell their shares in NIS. This is not about money, it is about politics,” Vučić said during a press conference after a meeting with teams responsible for Serbia’s energy stability and security.
He emphasized that there is no indication that the U.S. will extend NIS’s license. Without it, the Pančevo refinery, operated by NIS, would be forced to halt operations completely due to a lack of crude oil.
Vučić added that Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Gjedorvić Handanović, will formally notify NIS and confirmed that permission has been granted for the refinery to suspend operations.
“NIS will decide whether to pause operations today or in the coming days,” Vučić stated, noting that this marks the 54th day since the sanctions were imposed. He reassured that there are currently no fuel supply problems, reflecting the state’s preparedness and investments in oil reserves.
The U.S. State Department had not responded by December 1 to inquiries regarding whether the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had made any decisions concerning NIS’s request.
On November 25, the Serbian government approved a 50-day deadline for Russia to find a buyer for its shares. If Russia fails to act, Serbia will take over management of NIS and offer the Russian side the highest possible price for the company.
No updates have been provided by either the U.S. or Russian sides regarding the negotiations, with Serbian citizens relying mainly on President Vučić for information about the situation.
