Serbia has a deadline available to decide the fate of the NIS refinery

Washington has requested a complete withdrawal of Russian shareholders from NIS, Serbia's only refinery, imposing a three-month deadline for identifying a buyer. In the context of sanctions, several banks have frozen the company's transactions, and authorities estimate that the refinery has supplies only until November 25. The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, emphasized the importance of maintaining the refinery's operation, stating that a decision must be made in the coming days. Serbia wishes to avoid the nationalization of Russian assets and is willing to make a superior offer to the market price if negotiations with potential buyers are unsuccessful. Gazprom Neft and Gazprom hold 56% of NIS, and maintaining sanctions could affect Serbia's economy, according to Finance Minister Sinisa Mali.