The United States has blacklisted Bosnian Serb (BiH) presidency member Milorad Dodik and imposed sanctions on its affiliate, Alternative Televizija (ATV). This was announced in a press release published on the website of the US Treasury Department.

Yesterday, the US Treasury Department blacklisted Milorad Dodik, a member of Bosnia and Herzegovina's presidency, as well as its Banja Luka-based Alternative Television, in response to Dodik's corrupt practices and ongoing threats to stability and the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the statement said.

This is the first decree issued under Biden's June 2021 order to block all US-based assets owned by those contributing to the destabilization of the Western Balkans and to ban those individuals from entering the United States.

"Dodik is undermining BiH institutions by calling for the seizure of state powers and launching parallel institutions in BiH's Republika Srpska (RS) entity," the order said.

Bosnia needs Attention to Save itself from Disintegration

It also mentions ATV, a company closely linked to Dodik's family.

A statement from the Ministry of Finance alleges that Dodik "transferred money directly from public companies to ATV for corrupt purposes, Exit News reports. In recent years, Dodik has significantly increased ATV's funding and participated in malicious social media through ATV to publish content that supports his political and personal goals".

The United States has warned it will consider sanctions against Dodik for his separatist activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dodik did not heed the warnings, and in November 2021, the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to leave key state institutions, namely the Bosnian army and the judiciary and tax system.

Bosnian Serbs Started Paving the Way for their Own Army Today

According to the newly imposed sanctions, "all property and interests owned by the aforementioned natural and legal person located in the United States or in the possession or control of American persons are blocked and must be reported to the Foreign Assets Control Service of the Department." of finance ".

In addition, all US individuals or entities are prohibited from conducting transactions with Dodik or ATV.

In 2017, the United States again imposed sanctions on the then President of Republika Srpska (RS, part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Milorad Dodik. As the Treasury explained at the time, the decision was based on an executive order that allowed "sanctions to be imposed on individuals and organizations that undermine or may undermine the 1995 Framework Peace Agreement," known as the Dayton Accords. According to the Ministry of Finance, Dodik "actively obstructed" the implementation of this document.

Serbian Police in Bosnia Calling for a New Genocide like the one in Srebrenica

Milorad Dodik told reporters that US sanctions are an instrument whose time has passed.

"The United States is trying to use a reflex from the past to model us here, but the time for such actions has passed. This is a reflection of their weakness rather than strength. This is a pointless endeavor," RTS quoted Dodik as saying.

/BGNES