site.btaRussian Ambassador to Serbia Calls US Sanctions against Serbian Oil Company Political Decision

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko told TASS on Thursday that the imposition of sanctions by the US against the Serbian multinational oil and gas company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) is all politics, and Russia, for its part, will continue to support Belgrade.

The Ambassador said: "The US made this decision a long time ago, but it was delayed, and in the end, they chose to go forward with it based purely on politics. There is nothing here related to the economy, energy, or anything else, it is a political decision." He stated that what matters is that the parties involved should not get too emotional over the decision.

Botsan-Kharchenko reported that his Embassy is in constant contact with NIS's leadership. The company, having been aware that sanctions are coming, has reserves and will be able to adapt, he added. NIS's largest shareholder is the Russian giant Gazprom Neft.

The N1 TV channel quoted Vladislav Veselica, a member of the Management Board of Adriatic pipeline Plc., who said in an interview for HRT that a meeting will take place on Friday between Jadranski naftovod, NIS, and American lawyers representing the two companies. The goal is to discuss potential future developments.