Serbian President Vučić says NIS‑MOL dispute to be resolved soon

President Aleksandar Vučić said the issue surrounding Serbia’s oil company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) and the Hungarian firm MOL will be settled in the near future. The United States imposed sanctions on NIS at the start of 2025 to block Russian revenue from the energy sector from financing the war in Ukraine, but the measures have been repeatedly postponed for over a year. Since MOL expressed interest in acquiring NIS, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has been regularly extending the company’s operating licence.

Vučić stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with the United States and indicated that cooperation with Russian and Hungarian partners could help resolve the NIS case. He also commented on a language dispute in Montenegro and reiterated that Serbia’s EU accession remains a priority, while noting that full membership will not be achieved shortly.