NIS sends request to US seeking postponement of sanctions for minimum of 90 days
Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) has sent an official request to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury (OFAC) for the suspension of sanctions the US imposed against the company.
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This request is supported by the governments of Serbia and Hungary.
The request refers to obtaining general or special licenses that would enable NIS to maintain operations while an acceptable solution to the ownership structure and management is sought, with the aim of the company, which is regionally and strategically important for energy stability, continuing to operate.
The Government of the Republic of Serbia supports the request to issue such a license to NIS, as sanctions would impair the company's ability to supply citizens of Serbia with oil and oil derivatives.
NIS employees and citizens have no reason to worry since the state leadership will, as before, protect the interests of Serbia, said Dubravka Djedovic Hadanovic, Minister of Mining and Energy and head of the Working Group for monitoring the activities of the OFAC in connection with the potential introduction of sanctions against the Petroleum Industry of Serbia.
"US officials have repeatedly said that such sanctions are not directed against Serbia and its citizens, and accordingly we hope for a constructive continuation of the dialogue, so that the energy stability of Serbia and the entire region is not undermined," she said.
"Given the importance of NIS for the Serbian and regional economies, we urgently request that the OFAC consider immediate assistance, in the form of delaying the sanctions for a minimum of 90 days, while a sustainable solution that would lead to the lifting of sanctions is being considered," stated the minister.
She pointed out that the Government of Serbia supports the request to issue such a license to NIS because sanctions would impair the company's ability to supply the citizens of Serbia with oil and oil derivatives.
(Telegraf Biznis)