Picula says Russia not offering Serbia quick solution for NIS

“Sanctions faced by NIS reflect a "tightening" of measures against the policies of the Serbian regime, while Russia is preventing Belgrade from finding a "quick solution" regarding changes in the company's ownership,” the Croatian HINA news agency qouted Picula as saying.

NIS is facing US Treasury sanctions which were imposed on the Russian energy industry. The sanctions were postponed several times, the latest to October 8.

"It seems to me that the issue of further oil supply to Serbia and its refinery in Pančevo in some way reflects a tougher stance towards what the regime in Serbia is doing," Picula told Hina on the sidelines of a gathering of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the European Parliament's second-largest political group, in Opatija and Rijeka. Picula is a member of the S&D group.

He added that the situation in Serbia is "complex", but that the common denominator of all economic and energy challenges lies in Serbia's failure to meet the Copenhagen criteria -- the EU's benchmarks for democracy, rule of law, human rights and functioning market economy. "No one wants Serbian citizens to freeze this winter but the current situation is above all the result of the regime's "deep ties" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said.

"Clearly, Russia at this point is not giving Serbia the option of an easier, quicker solution to the issue of NIS ownership. As far as I understand, nationalization is not an option, and no new partners are on the horizon," Picula said and added that the Croatian oil pipeline company JANAF has an interest in stopping the sanctions because of a contract with NIS to the end of 2026 but warned that other interests could outweigh commercial interests.