Vucic slams West after Serbia’s only oil refinery stares at shutdown, makes Russia reference

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that the country's only oil refinery, NIS, will shut down operations within days after the United States refused to issue a permit for the majority-Russian-owned facility. Speaking after high-level energy meetings in Belgrade, Vucic warned that Serbia risks secondary US sanctions but will still allow the refinery to pay employees and suppliers as it prepares for the shutdown. The president stressed that Serbia is standing by its Russian partners despite international pressure, insisting the government will not nationalise the refinery. He urged citizens not to panic, assuring that fuel supplies remain stable. The refinery has already been operating at minimal capacity following the halt of crude deliveries through the Croatian JANAF pipeline. NIS employs about 14,000 people and contributes significantly to Serbia’s GDP and budget revenue. Vucic recently gave Gazprom Neft and Gazprom 50 days to sell their stake or face a government takeover.