Overview
- Sanctions on the Petroleum Industry of Serbia took effect on October 9 after eight postponements, targeting the majority Russian‑owned operator of the country’s only refinery.
- Croatia’s JANAF pipeline operator secured a temporary license to carry crude to NIS through October 15, while the company says refinery stocks and retail supply remain sufficient for now.
- NIS warned that foreign payment cards may stop working at its stations, and President Aleksandar Vučić said banks are unlikely to process transactions with a sanctioned entity.
- Vučić said the Pančevo refinery can operate without new crude until November 1 and that state reserves cover fuel needs through year‑end, adding that jet fuel has been sourced from a Kuwaiti‑British supplier.
- NIS has filed a supplemental request to be removed from the U.S. sanctions list, as Belgrade pursues talks with Washington and Moscow and Croatia signaled openness to buying a stake to keep oil flows stable.