Serbia's NIS wants a new US license to operate after 16 June

NIS Serbia, owned by Russians, operates the only oil refinery in Serbia. The company has now applied for a 'U.S. The company announced on Wednesday that it would apply for a new?U.S.

NIS said that in its request to U.S. Treasury’s Office of?Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), it highlighted "the importance?of NIS' regular work for an orderly supply on the domestic market" and referred to negotiations about changing the ownership structure.

The NIS is subject to sanctions imposed by the U.S. In October, sanctions were imposed over its Russian ownership as part of measures targeting Moscow's Energy Sector following its invasion in Ukraine. Washington has pushed for the divestment from the Russian stake and NIS secured a series of temporary waivers during the interim.

OFAC has given the Hungarian Oil and Gas Company MOL until June 16 to continue its negotiations with Russia's Gazprom Neft in order to buy 56.16% of NIS.

Serbia owns a 29.9% stake in NIS, while the rest is owned by minorities. Angeliki Koutantou is the reporter. (Editing by Alex Richardson, Mark Potter and Mark Potter.)

(source: Reuters)