economy
March 19, 2026
HOPE FOR NEWS ON EXTENDING NIS LICENSE TOMORROW: Minister Đedović Handanović on the fate of Serbian oil
Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović stated that she expects a decision on extending the operational license for the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) to be made tomorrow, but currently, there are no clear signals that this will actually happen.
TL;DR
- Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović anticipates a decision on extending NIS's operational license possibly tomorrow.
- The current operational license for NIS expires on March 20th.
- NIS has a deadline of March 24th to negotiate changes in its ownership structure, potentially involving the exit of majority Russian ownership.
- The Serbian government has extended the ban on exporting oil and oil derivatives until April 2, 2026, to protect the domestic market.
- This export ban applies to diesel, gasoline, and crude oil via all transport methods.
- 40,000 tons of diesel will be released from reserves as an additional market protection measure.
- The measures aim to protect the domestic market from shortages and sudden fuel price increases due to global market disruptions and the conflict in the Middle East.