Payments by foreign bank cards were disrupted at some gas stations operated by Serbia’s state oil company NIS on Wednesday after U.S. sanctions against the firm took effect, Serbian news agency Tanjug reported.
NIS said in a notice to customers that the company was now operating under sanctions, meaning that payments with Mastercard, Visa and American Express cards “may not be possible” at its fuel stations.
The company said customers could still pay in cash, with Serbia’s domestic “Dina” cards, via mobile banking applications, or using the IPS “show” payment option and NIS’s Drive.Go app.
The United States declined to extend a special license previously granted to NIS, effectively reinstating sanctions against the Russian-owned oil producer. The company said its fuel supplies were sufficient and operations were continuing normally, though concerns remained that payments could become limited to local cards and cash.
“In the event that foreign card systems stop functioning, payments will still be possible with the domestic Dina card, cash or IPS ‘show’ option,” NIS said. Company loyalty cards for farmers, taxi drivers and retail customers will continue to work.
NIS said wholesale payments in dinars remained unaffected and that it continued to meet obligations to corporate clients and partners. “We remain a reliable partner, and corporate payment cards are functioning without interruption,” the company said, adding that it was working with the Serbian government, its partners and shareholders to overcome the situation.
The company said its priorities remained stable fuel supplies for the domestic market and preserving employee stability. It added that it had secured sufficient crude oil for processing and that all stations were adequately supplied.
“Since being listed on the U.S. Specially Designated Nationals list in January, NIS has been carefully monitoring the situation and adjusting its operations to new conditions,” the statement said.
Bojana Radojević, NIS’s retail director, said earlier the company had prepared for the sanctions and that no disruptions in fuel distribution had been recorded.
“All our gas stations are fully supplied, and we have secured enough crude oil to maintain production,” she said. “There is no reason for panic or long queues — fuel sales are running smoothly, without any limits on quantities customers can buy.”
Radojević said that since the sanctions took effect at 6 a.m., payment systems had continued to function normally. “All cards are still being processed. If any changes occur, customers will still be able to pay in cash, which remains the most common method in Serbia,” she said.