(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADE, FEB 27 - Serbian President Aleksandar
Vucic said Thursday that the US had granted a month-long
reprieve for sanctions targeting a Russian-backed energy company
in Serbia. Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), majority-owned by
Russia's Gazprom Neft and its parent company Gazprom, is the
only supplier of gas to Serbia and the majority owner of both
gas pipelines that transport gas from Russia to Serbian
households and industries. NIS was among the raft of companies
hit by a sweeping round of US sanctions targeting the Russian
energy sector in January as former president Joe Biden was
leaving office. "We have received an additional 30 days for the
Petroleum Industry of Serbia. It's one piece of good news for
the citizens of Serbia," Vucic said in a post on social media
along with a picture of a letter from the US Treasury Department
detailing the extension. Serbia has maintained a close
relationship with Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine and
refuses to impose sanctions, unlike the European Union that it
hopes to join. Vucic had stated earlier that if sanctions were
implemented, it would be a severe blow to Serbia, which heavily
relies on Russian gas. (ANSA-AFP).
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