At the end of March, due to EU sanctions against Russian companies, Croatian oil transportation company JANAF announced that it would not be able to transport oil for the needs of the Serbian oil company NIS, which is majority owned by Russian GazpromNeft, as of 15 May.
However, a solution to the Serbian problem is now on the horizon, as NIS’ only alternative is to transport oil by barges on the Danube, which is not optimal.
In late 2021, JANAF signed a contract with NIS for the transport of oil from the Omisalj terminal to the border with Serbia in the period from 1 January to 31 December 2022 in the total amount of 3.2 million tons.
According to Croatian media, the European Union will find a solution to the NIS case in the new package of sanctions it is preparing against Russia, because it is possible to exempt countries from the EU and the European Economic Community from energy sanctions. Such an exemption will be proposed for the countries of the Western Balkans, which means that the transport of oil through JANAF for NIS could continue unhindered.
