US imposes sanctions on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik

The US Treasury announced further sanctions against Milorad Dodik as well as Alternativna Televizija TV channel which is under his control (5 January 2022). The US states that Dodik’s destabilizing and corrupt activities undermine 26 years of progress since the Dayton Peace Accords.

“Today’s action builds on the Biden Administration’s commitment to promote accountability for those who, among other things, undermine the stability of the Western Balkans region through corruption and threats to long-standing peace agreements. Dodik has undermined BiH institutions by calling for the seizure of state competencies and setting in motion the creation of parallel institutions in BiH’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity. Furthermore, Dodik has used his official BiH position to accumulate personal wealth through graft, bribery, and other forms of corruption. His divisive ethno-nationalistic rhetoric reflects his efforts to advance these political goals and distract attention from his corrupt activities. Cumulatively, these actions threaten the stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of BiH and undermine the Dayton Peace Accords, thereby risking wider regional instability.”

This is not the first time that Dodik has incurred the US’s wrath, in 2017 he was sanctioned for obstructing the accords. Today’s actions address the same issue as well as Dodik’s abuse of his official position to engage in widespread corruption specifically, Dodik has provided government contracts and monopolies in the RS directly to close business associates. The US states that with his corrupt proceeds, Dodik has engaged in bribery and additional corrupt activities to further his personal interests at the expense of citizens in the RS.

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