The Serbian government stated that it will give additional 50 days to the Russian side to find a new investor for its stake in the Serbian Oil Industry NIS. The extension might have been motivated by internal Serbian calculations considering the possible outcome of the Russian aggression against Ukraine that might reward the Kremlin's ambitions, in line with the Witkoff-Dmitriev 28-point peace plan.
Tag: Russia
Marta Kos on Serbia: You cannot sit on two chairs – ask for money from the EU and ask the other side for gas
"If you [Serbia] participate in the action of the army that kills people in Ukraine, forget the accession process, the chapters, such a country can never become a member of the EU, but that is your choice", Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Union said at a meeting with journalists on the sidelines of the EU Enlargement Forum in Brussels.
Want to support democracy in Serbia? Arm Ukraine
The incessant criticism of the Serbian right-wing political opposition and protests spectrum didn't shake the foundations of the government led by the right-wing populist kakistocracy of Aleksandar Vučić. Autocracy and foreign autocratic governments, such as Russia and China, are still considered by the Serbian public as a role model to be emulated .
OFAC Denies Russian-owned Oil Industry of Serbia NIS License Extension: US Wants Russia Out
Serbian Minister of Energy, Dubravka Đedović conveyed that the American administration clearly, unequivocally said and in writing, that it wants a complete change of ownership of the Russian shareholders, that is, it demands the exit of Russian ownership from the Serbian oil industry company NIS.
Illiberalism and The Global South are fueled by the Mandate of Heaven
Illiberal political movements in Europe, associated with their ideological allies from Russia, China, and the Global South, cannot be countered by the committees of overthinking everything - Europe is doing itself a disservice by getting dragged into foreign cultural conflicts and upholding foreign values that go against rationalism and the Enlightenment.
Retro review: Syrian Warfare – a real-time tactics from Russia with hate
Squad 22: ZOV, a Russian strategy game, doesn't hide the fact that it's Russian militarist propaganda. But before that, there was Syrian Warfare, a Russian-developed pro-Assad agitprop released in 2017, masquerading as a genuinely good real-time tactics game. Not sure why I wrote this review, but here it is.
Oil industry sanctions: Serbia is once again a victim of its own stupidity
On October 9th, the Serbian Oil Industry NIS faced US sanctions due to its Russian ownership. The sanctions impact its operations, causing payment issues at petrol stations and halting fuel sales to airlines. In response, Hungary's MOL will increase oil supplies to Serbia. Any hardships caused to local population most likely will not lead to re-examining the failed Serbian policies that lead to this.
Vladimir Putin decided to put in a good word for Serbian Gen Z protests
After eleven months of protests in Serbia, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed understanding for the student and civic activists, calling them patriots deserving of dialogue. He criticized Western interference, asserting that Serbia’s struggles are an internal matter. The protests coincide with the anniversary of the fall of Milošević, highlighting deep-rooted nationalist myths.
Let them eat BRICS
Dragan Djilas of Serbia's Freedom and Justice Party emphasized the need for a strong European message to the Western Balkans, advocating for elections in candidate countries to amplify their voices in the EU. Meanwhile, sentiments against EU inclusion rise, with leaders like Aleksandar Vulin promoting "sovereignty" and alternative alliances like BRICS over EU membership.
Nedeljnik: Another company from the Gazprom group now has 11.3 percent of the capital of NIS
The St. Petersburg firm "Intelligence" acquired 11.3 percent of Naftna industrija Srbije's NIS shares, previously owned by Gazprom, without compensation. This change comes amid NIS's repeated requests for exemptions from US sanctions. The largest shareholder remains Gazprom Neft, while Serbia's potential interest in buying NIS faces financial constraints.
Serbianism 