Reference News, November 16 report. According to AFP, November 15 report, Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Jovanović Handanović said on the 15th that the U.S. government insists that Russian companies exit the Serbian oil company (NIS) and maintain sanctions against the company since October 9. She also announced that Serbia will make a "difficult" decision in the coming days.
The minister explained that the U.S. government rejected the request made by NIS's legal team, which sought to lift the sanctions in exchange for an internal "management change agreement" within the oil company. NIS is crucial to the local economy.
The report states that in 2009, Serbia sold the majority share of NIS to the Russian energy giant Gazprom Neft.
"The U.S. government has clearly and unambiguously stated that it hopes to completely replace the Russian shareholders, i.e., to require Russia to withdraw its shares in NIS," the minister said in a statement released to the media.
The report also mentioned that after multiple delays since January, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on NIS on October 9, which is part of broader sanctions against the Russian energy sector.
The report pointed out that as a major player in the Serbian oil market, NIS operates the country's only refinery, which supplies about 80% of the petroleum needed in the Serbian market.
NIS representatives said that the oil reserves at the refinery can only last until November 25.
In this situation, the Serbian Energy Minister announced that the country will have to make a "difficult decision" and mentioned that the government may "take over the company." (Translated by Lin Xiaoxuan)
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