Overview
- Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic-Handanovic said Russian shareholders have asked OFAC to extend NIS’s operating license based on talks to transfer control to a third party.
- OFAC has sent comments on the filing, and Belgrade expects Washington to state its position within about a week.
- Sanctions on Gazprom Neft and NIS took effect on October 9, leading banks to curb NIS-related payments and prompting Croatia’s JANAF pipeline to halt crude deliveries.
- Officials say the Pancevo refinery has crude only until roughly November 25 without new supplies; NIS provides the bulk of Serbia’s gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and heavy fuel oil.
- NIS is owned by Gazprom Neft (~44.9%), the Serbian state (~29.9%) and a Gazprom-linked investor (~11.3%), and the case unfolds as wider U.S. measures hit Lukoil and Rosneft, triggering asset sales under short grace periods.