Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Aleksandar Bocan-Harčenko, stated that Russia wants Serbia to have “stable gas supply at the best possible price” and emphasized that Moscow’s decision to extend the gas agreement only until the New Year is based on commercial and technical reasons, not politics. He reassured that fuel and energy supplies in Serbia will remain sufficient.
Bocan-Harčenko stressed that all discussions about the future of Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) under U.S. sanctions will remain within the framework of the 2008 cooperation agreement between Russia and Serbia. He warned that any attempt at nationalization without mutual consent would violate existing agreements.
Regarding the sanctions themselves, he suggested they could be an attempt to destabilize Serbia, noting the timing coincided with anticipated protests. He indicated that the sanctions might exacerbate social unrest, potentially fueling a new wave of political protests.
The ambassador highlighted that while protests began over local incidents, they quickly evolved into a broader political movement, and recent developments could trigger another wave in the near future.
