Issue for June 23, 2026

This story tracks Serbia's EU talks, rule-of-law requirements, judicial reforms, media issues, and foreign-policy conditions. In June 2026, the key current episode concerns amendments to five judicial laws, Venice Commission opinions, and expectations around opening Cluster 3.

• Serbia has not opened new EU accession negotiation chapters since December 2021.
• In January 2026, parliament adopted amendments to five judicial laws on MP Ugljesa Mrdic's proposal, drawing criticism from parts of the professional community and the EU over prosecutorial autonomy and judicial independence.
• On April 24, the Venice Commission published an urgent opinion identifying shortcomings and seven key recommendations for removing them.
• On May 18, the Justice Ministry sent improved working drafts of the amendments to parliament for transmission to Venice Commission rapporteurs.
• On June 12, Ana Brnabic said the Venice Commission had given a positive opinion, that the package would go to parliament next week, and that the government expects Cluster 3 to open soon.
• The follow-up opinion published on June 16 clarified the status: seven of nine recommendations were implemented, but the return of two of 11 organized-crime prosecutors and the autonomy of the cybercrime unit remain unresolved.
• On June 17, Serbia's parliament opened an extraordinary session with amendments to five judicial laws on the agenda, moving the Venice Commission recommendations dispute from expert review into parliamentary procedure.
• On the evening of June 17, N1 and Danas reported that the High Prosecutorial Council scheduled a June 18 extraordinary session with temporary assignment of public prosecutors to TOK among the proposed agenda items; this addresses one unresolved Venice Commission remark.
• On June 18, VST decided to assign Irena Bjelos, Aleksandar Barac, and Boris Majlat to TOK for three years; Bjelos and Barac return from June 19, while Danas separately carried the Judicial Authority Union's criticism that temporary assignment of prosecutors as a mechanism is not in line with European standards.
• On June 21, SSP, SRCE, PSG, and Solidarnost told EU institutions that, according to them, the Venice Commission and parliament received different texts of the judicial-law amendments; the Justice Ministry denies this and says the parliamentary version differs only because it is in Serbian.
• On June 23, parliament continues a joint debate on 32 extraordinary-session agenda items, including government amendments to five judicial laws from the Mrdic package; Justice Minister Nenad Vujic again cites the Venice Commission's positive opinion, while the opposition argues the amendments return the system to its pre-January state.

NIS is Serbia's key oil company and the operator of the Pancevo refinery. This story follows how sanctions against the Russian stake in the company affect fuel supplies, Serbia's talks with MOL, Gazprom Neft, and the United States, and control over strategic infrastructure.

• On June 11, 2026, minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said Serbia and MOL had agreed on the shareholder framework around NIS.
• The next step is an agreement between Gazprom Neft and MOL, followed by approval from the US administration.
• Before the current OFAC license expired on June 16, 2026, NIS requested a new special license.
• If Gazprom Neft sells 56.15 percent of NIS to MOL and OFAC approves the transaction, Serbia is supposed to buy another five percent of the shares.
• With that extra five percent, Serbia's stake would rise to roughly 35 percent, while MOL would remain the controlling owner with 51.15 percent.
• According to the minister, the Hungarian side has undertaken to keep the Pancevo refinery running at least around the average annual level of the four years before sanctions.
• By evening, N1 and Danas added expert framing: without changing NIS's statute, the extra five percent does not give Serbia new control, and the question remains dependent on Gazprom Neft, MOL, and OFAC.
• On June 12, Forbes/N1 added a check on an alternative Serbian buyer: Ranko Mimovic's company, tied to Reuters' report of a EUR 2 billion offer for NIS, had six account blocks over tax rulings in half a year and received a first court dispute for RSD 98,496.
• On June 13, 021/RTS carried Jelica Putnikovic's assessment: the next key fork is Tuesday, June 16, when existing NIS licenses expire, while the outcome depends on OFAC, concrete contracts, and guarantees for the Pancevo refinery.
• On June 16, the Energy Ministry and MOL signed a shareholder agreement: it takes effect only if MOL reaches a deal with Gazprom Neft to buy 56.15 percent of NIS and OFAC approves the transaction.
• Under the agreement Serbia is to buy an additional five percent of the shares, the Pancevo refinery should operate for at least 10 years at capacity comparable to the four years before US sanctions, and Petrohemija should avoid disruption.
• Aleksandar Vucic said from Tbilisi that, based on information he was receiving from Washington, NIS's operating license may be extended for another 15 days, but this had not been officially confirmed at the moment of his statement.
• On June 19, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said the Serbian side had completed its part of the talks with MOL, and that the next practical step is a Gazprom Neft-MOL agreement acceptable to OFAC.
• On June 23, 021 reported that OFAC extended NIS's operating license and MOL's license for talks on buying the Russian stake until July 1; the previous licenses had been valid until June 16.