State TV reports that the US has extended sanctions waivers to Serbian refiner NIS owned by Russians.

RTS TV reported on Friday that the U.S. Treasury Department had extended a waiver of sanctions to Serbia's Russian owned NIS oil company. This will give Serbia another month to import much-needed winter fuel supplies. Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions against NIS as part of the broader measures that targeted Russia's energy industry over Moscow's conflict in Ukraine.

This led to a suspension of oil supplies and the shutdown of Serbia's only refinery. The spectre of fuel shortages in winter was raised. In December, the?OFAC granted NIS an exemption from sanctions until Friday. This allowed it to import crude through Croatia's JANAF pipe. NIS was also given until the end of March to complete the sale of the Russian Gazprom Neft, and Gazprom's majority stakes. Since then, it appears that?NIS is set to agree to sell to?Hungary MOL and potentially resolve the dispute.

According to the report, this new waiver is valid until February 20. NIS and Serbian government officials didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.

Gazprom holds a stake of 11.3% in NIS and Gazprom neft a stake of 44.9%. The Serbian Government owns 29.9% of NIS. (Reporting and editing by Edward McAllister; Ivana Sekularac)

(source: Reuters)