Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić announced that the Government will introduce an amendment to the 2026 draft budget that would allow Serbia to assume ownership of the oil company NIS, currently majority-owned by Russia’s Gazprom.
Brnabić explained that the amendment follows discussions President Aleksandar Vučić held with several political parties and is intended to establish a legal basis for state intervention if necessary. She noted that the measure would enable Serbia to take control of NIS should circumstances demand it.
She stressed that she personally opposes nationalization, but emphasized that the Government must be prepared to act if citizens’ living standards or national economic stability come under threat. Brnabić also expressed hope that Russia, as the majority shareholder, would take Serbia’s concerns into account—something she suggested has not happened so far.
NIS has been under US sanctions for 47 days, and its Pančevo refinery—which supplies most of Serbia’s domestic fuel—reportedly faces a complete shutdown within four days due to the imposed restrictions.
President Vučić previously stated that Serbia will give Russia a 50-day deadline to finalize negotiations on the sale of its majority stake in NIS. If no agreement is reached within that timeframe, the Government will proceed under the new legal provisions established through the budget amendment.
