The government of Serbia has sent a new request to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury, in which it supported the request of the Serbian oil company, NIS, to extend the current operating license, which expires on 29 July, for an additional 180 days, said today the Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović.
“In the past month, as well as in the entire period since January when the US sanctions against NIS were first announced, we have consistently defended our position that sanctions would be very bad for the energy security of Serbia and the region and would have significant negative consequences for our country, our citizens and economy, but also for the entire region,” Đedović stated.
The minister added that the government remains committed to finding a permanent and sustainable solution for NIS, in cooperation with American and Russian partners, which would enable a continuous and secure supply of crude oil and the smooth functioning of the Pančevo Refinery.
Đedović Handanović thanked the government of Hungary for its continued support in finding a long-term solution for the Serbian oil industry, which has always supported Serbia’s request to extend the license for NIS.
Since January, the sanctions on NIS have been postponed four times.