(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JAN 3 - Serbian oil group NIS, which has been sanctioned by the US since October 9 due to its majority stake in Russia's Gazprom, has been granted permission to continue operations until January 23, Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said. "Dear citizens, this is excellent news for our country in the new year: I am pleased to announce that NIS has received a licence from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to continue operations until January 23," the minister said in an Instagram post, as reported by media in Belgrade. She added that the large Pancevo refinery will be able to resume operations after more than a month. (ANSA).