The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated several state-level officials for encouraging the passage of a Republika Srpska National Assembly (RSNA) law that obstructs the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. OFAC announced the designation of one state-level official from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and three government officials from the Republika Srpska (RS), according to a July 31 news release.
"This action threatens the stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the hard-won peace underpinned by the Dayton Peace Agreement," Brian Nelson, under secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in the release. "This behavior further threatens the country’s future trajectory and successful integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions."
The individuals were identified as behind the promotion of a law in the RSNA that sought to declare the decisions of the BiH Constitutional Court (BiH CC) as inapplicable in the RS, according to the release. The move was deemed detrimental as it hindered the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and posed a threat to the stability and territorial integrity of BiH.
The designations build on earlier U.S. sanctions to promote accountability for those undermining democratic processes in the Western Balkans region, the release said. The individuals involved in the effort to dismantle the BiH state were identified as Nenad Stevandic, Radovan Viskovic, Zeljka Cvijanovic and Milos Bukejlovic. They were designated under Executive Order 14033 for their involvement in violating or obstructing regional security, peace, cooperation or mutual recognition agreements related to the Western Balkans.
As a result of the action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons in the U.S. or in the possession or control of U.S. persons have been blocked, the release said. Transactions involving the designated persons or their entities are also prohibited unless authorized by OFAC.
