EU to exclude Serbia from oil sanctions after UN vote against Russia

The import of oil from RUSSIA to Serbia was to be banned from May 15, since Gazprom owns a stake in the country's oil company and refinery. Vučić said that the EU followed,

Serbia will be excluded from the EU sanctions, which are associated with restrictions in the oil and gas sector, Tanjug reported, citing sources in Brussels and Blic.

According to Blic's interlocutor, this means that Serbia will continue to import through the Adriatic oil pipeline (JANAF) after May 15, which would have become impossible due to restrictions imposed by the European Union in March.

The day before, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that his country had voted to suspend Russia's membership in the UN Human Rights Council due to blackmail by the EU. As the HEAD of state explained, the European Union has postponed the decision on oil imports to see how Belgrade votes.

Vučić explained Serbia's vote for the suspension of Russia's membership in the UN HRC Politics

Vučić also said that the question will soon be decided whether Serbia will be able to import oil after May 15, while it can import raw materials from that date. Then it will be impossible, since Gazprom is the majority owner of the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS). “We can import, but three times more expensive,” the president said.

On March 19, Vucic explained that the fourth package of EU sanctions prohibits the import of oil and chemicals to Serbia for its processing, since Gazprom Neft has a majority stake in the NIS and the Pancevo refinery. “The decision of the EU Council is very difficult for us, strange, we are looking for ways out,” Vucic said. According to him, due to this decision of Brussels, the country will not be able to import crude oil and chemicals that are used at refineries from May 15. At the end of March, the JANAF oil pipeline operator said that an agreement with NIS on the transportation of crude oil through the pipeline would fall under EU sanctions . “It, unless changes occur, cannot be further implemented from May 15, 2022, and while restrictive measures are in place,” JANAF said.

The oil embargo was not included in the fifth package of EU sanctions against Russia Politics

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Blic, citing data from the Serbian Energy Agency, clarifies that the country imports three-quarters of its oil needs. Of the total volume of imported fuel, two thirds come from Iraq and one third each from Russia and Kazakhstan. Most of it comes to the country through the JANAF pipeline from Croatia, where it is delivered through the Omišalj terminal.

At the end of March, Vučić reproached the EU countries for demanding that Serbia join the anti-Russian sanctions, while they themselves did not impose restrictions on oil and gas.