NIS Seeks U.S. Approval to Keep Serbia’s Key Refinery Running Past October 30

NIS Seeks U.S. Approval to Keep Serbia’s Key Refinery Running Past October 30
NIS has submitted a new request to the U.S. Treasury for a special license allowing it to continue operating after its current authorization expires on October 30, 2026. The company said the application is intended to prevent disruption to its activities and maintain supplies to the domestic market.

In its request, NIS emphasized the importance of the Pančevo Oil Refinery, describing its regular operation as critical to Serbia’s energy stability. The company also thanked domestic and international institutions supporting efforts to secure uninterrupted business operations.

The application comes as the deadline for the existing U.S. operating license approaches. Pro-government coverage presented the request primarily as a measure to safeguard fuel availability and national energy security, amid wider sensitivity over oil prices and regional supply risks.

Opposition-aligned reporting repeated NIS’s explanation but added that October 30 is also the deadline for a separate license covering negotiations between Gazprom and MOL over the possible sale of the company. That framing places the operating request alongside unresolved questions about NIS’s ownership and its future relationship with the two energy companies.

The immediate outcome now depends on the U.S. Treasury’s decision. Until then, NIS’s request leaves Serbia’s largest refinery and the continuity of fuel supplies tied to a pending American authorization.