BELGRADE, December 11. /TASS/. Belgrade does not intend to resort to any form of seizure of NIS (Naftna industrija Srbije) and is ready to facilitate the search for a fair solution for its continued operation, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters.
He was commenting on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement that any nationalization is impossible without mutual consent.
"We have done everything our Russian friends deem possible to do to help NIS continue its work and function normally, and we will continue to do so. I'm just afraid it's not as simple as it sounds," the Serbian leader noted adding that Belgrade is open to proposals.
"If they have ideas, I'll be happy to hear them," he said.
Vucic emphasized that Serbia is committed to respecting the rights of the company's owners.
"As I've already said, it wouldn't even occur to us to take anything away from anyone. We will do everything to ensure that those who own their capital are satisfied. And if operations become impossible, we will pay as befits <...> decent and normal states," he said.
The President assured that the country will maintain energy sustainability.
"Serbia will not be left without oil, without an oil industry, and without an oil refinery. I wish them great success, and we are ready to help in any way we can. I just don't think it's that easy to achieve," the head of state concluded.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during an embassy roundtable on the settlement in Ukraine, said that no nationalization of NIS can take place without mutual consent, justice must be the primary criterion for resolving the situation.
On December 10, the Serbian President stated that the country's energy situation is rapidly deteriorating amid the crisis surrounding NIS and the threat of secondary sanctions against the banking sector. According to him, Serbia has not received oil for refining for over two months, which poses risks to the functioning of the economy - from energy and banking to healthcare. The National Bank and commercial banks have received warnings of possible sanctions, which, as Vucic noted, could lead to a complete halt in payment transactions. In this situation Belgrade is exploring alternative fuel import routes, while authorities are in constant communication to ensure a rapid response. The Minister of Energy emphasized that 51 settlements rely solely on NIS gas stations, making the situation particularly critical.
On situation around NIS
In early January 2025, the US Department of the Treasury introduced sanctions against Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, its CEO Alexander Dyukov, and against Serbian NIS. The US has repeatedly postponed sanctions against the company since then. Restrictions came into force on October 9.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stressed at the time that he did not hold Russia responsible and hoped for a joint resolution. He later stated that, following the American measures, NIS effectively found itself under restrictions from the European Union as well.
NIS is one of the largest vertically integrated energy systems in Southeastern Europe. Its majority shareholders are Gazprom Neft (44.85% of shares), Gazprom (11.3%), and Serbia (29.87%).
The Serbian Energy Ministry reported on November 11 that NIS's Russian owners had notified the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of their readiness to transfer control of the company to a third party.
The company later announced the shutdown of its oil refinery in the Serbian city of Pancevo due to US sanctions and a lack of raw materials.