According to Serbian Economist, Serbian NIS has again submitted a new request to the US Treasury Department to extend a special license allowing it to postpone the full application of sanctions and continue the company’s operations after September 26, 2025, when the previous permit expires.
According to the company, the request was sent on September 18. Earlier, on March 14, NIS also sent a request to the US agency to be removed from the SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list, but this process is lengthy and complicated.
Since 2022, the application of sanctions against NIS has been postponed six times on the basis of special licenses issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, in an interview with Blic TV, expressed concern that further delays may not follow.
“I am afraid that there will be no more delays and we will find ourselves in an extremely difficult situation,” he said.
According to Vučić, during his visit to the US, including a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he intends to seek help in resolving this issue.
NIS is Serbia’s largest energy company, controlled by Russia’s Gazprom Neft (56.15%) and the Serbian government (29.87%). The company accounts for the lion’s share of oil refining and fuel production in the country, owns a network of more than 400 gas stations in Serbia and neighboring countries, and plays a key role in the region’s energy security.
Any restrictions against NIS directly affect the Serbian fuel market, state revenues, and transit links in the Balkans, making the issue of sanctions critically important for both Belgrade and the whole of Southeast Europe.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/1439
