Extraordinary government session: Decision on NIS in next seven days, energy minister ready to resign

A solution for Naftna industrija Srbije (NIS), which the US has set as a condition for the lifting of sanctions that it not be majority-owned by Russians, must be reached within the next seven days, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at an open, extraordinary session of the Serbian Government.

Vucic said that the last option for NIS would be nationalization, if there was no other solution.

The Russians, as he pointed out, are discussing the sale of ownership in NIS with their Asian and European partners, and Serbia will agree to any agreement.

– Sanctions against NIS have been in place for 37 days, and no one in Serbia has felt anything, because we have been preparing well. We have plenty of fuel reserves and there is no reason to panic, but we cannot empty everything, because there will be an imbalance in supply – said Vucic.

He added that the Serbian government should prepare a rebalance for the 2025 budget if additional money was needed for NIS and fuel procurement.

Serbian Parliament President Ana Brnabic informed Vucic that the parliament would urgently adopt a rebalance if necessary.

Djedovic Handanovic: I am ready to resign, 37 days without a drop of oil from JANAF

Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic pointed out that it was almost impossible to lead the energy sector at a time when Naftna industrija Srbije (NIS) was under sanctions, and that she was ready to resign, adding that Serbia had not received a drop of oil from the Adriatic Oil Pipeline (JANAF) for 37 days.

– I do not see a way to overcome this situation. Without the refinery in Pancevo, there’s no life for us. It is vital for our citizens, economy, healthcare, schools, because without fuel even bakeries cannot get bread every day – the minister stated at the public session of the Serbian Government.

She stated that NIS also had reserves, but that that was measured in dozens of days.

– We must be united and determined, above all to protect the interests of our state and citizens. We hope that our partners will understand our situation. We must take measures and make difficult decisions, because we need to be aware of the difficult situation we are in – said Djedovic Handanovic.

NIS a.d. Novi Sad

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Naftna industrija Srbije ad Novi Sad

JANAF

Dubravka Đedović Handanović

Siniša Mali

Aleksandar Vučić

Ana Brnabić

sanctions on NIS

nationalization of NIS

sale of NIS