US sends request for Russian ownership to exit Naftna industrija Srbije – Will Serbia still have to take over the company?

The United States has requested Russian ownership to exit Naftna industrija Srbije. In response to Naftna industrija Srbije’s request, the US unequivocally stated that it wanted a complete change of ownership of Russian shareholders, but that approval for negotiations on ownership had been obtained, which was valid until February 13, said Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic at an extraordinary press conference.

– On the night between Friday and Saturday, the US sent a bad message regarding the company NIS. American partners, namely the US Government, informed Serbia during the night, local time, about the unfavorable news and the difficult message regarding NIS. At the request of NIS lawyers, who sent it to the US government and offered a contract on the change of management in NIS, for the first time the US administration clearly and unequivocally said and wrote that it wanted a complete change of ownership of Russian shareholders, that is, that it demanded the exit of Russian ownership from NIS – she specified.

The minister conveyed that they said that there must be no hiding behind that, either by Russian associates of Gazprom or the Russian government.

Djedovic Handanovic said that approval had been obtained for negotiations on ownership, which was valid until February 13, but not that NIS and the Refinery could continue operating. She also pointed out that the citizens of Serbia should understand that it was impossible to change ownership in “seven days.”

– What is a difficult message for us is that we have not been given a single day for NIS to continue operating, and it is clear that it is not possible to change ownership in seven days either – she said.

More information would be known the next day, at the session of the Serbian Government, which, as previously announced, would be attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the directors of all domestic public companies.

– As the Minister of Energy, I will say that we are facing difficult decisions on whether to take over the companies and then compensate for the damage. I know that the President of Serbia said that he was against nationalization, what I can say is that we will not allow Serbia and its citizens to be endangered – emphasized Djedovic Handanovic.

According to her, the government will protect Serbia because its citizens must not suffer.

– We will continue trying to find the best solution so that our country and citizens do not suffer – said the Minister.

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

NIS a.d. Novi Sad

Ministry of Mining and Energy

Naftna industrija Srbije ad Novi Sad

Dubravka Đedović Handanović

sanctions on NIS

NIS operations

sale of NIS

Pančevo oil refinery