Dušan Bajatović, the director of Srbijagas, discussed NIS and the recent developments regarding sanctions in an interview. He also reassured that there is currently enough gas in Serbia.
He emphasized, “What’s important is that there is gas, and it’s warm, even though the weather is relatively cold in Serbia. When it comes to Serbia’s oil industry, we are in a difficult position. Interestingly, the outgoing administration imposed sanctions on the Serbian oil industry as a whole, specifically targeting Russian oil,” he told TV Pink. “In practice, this places you on the sanctions list. Everything related to finance, processing, services, spare parts—anything—can tie you to that company and leave you exposed to sanctions. That is the most dangerous situation for us.”
Bajatović further explained that he analyzed Serbia’s position regarding gas, as the country purchases domestically produced natural gas and sells it to local users. He highlighted the cooperation between Serbia’s oil industry and gas sector. However, he noted two key legal processes that could come into play. One is delisting, which is very challenging as it requires a change in law and approval from Congress. He also mentioned OFAC, the U.S. regulator for sanctions and international asset control, which holds considerable discretion over rights. According to Bajatović, Serbia missed the opportunity to leverage certain international practices that are in line with OFAC regulations.
