US sanctions against Milorad Dodik: Abuse of power and corruption

All US-owned properties in Dodik’s name have been blocked, including Alternativna Televizija doo Banja Luka (ATV), a Banja Luka-based media outlet owned by a company closely linked to Dodik’s family.

“Dodik has undermined BiH institutions, calling for the seizure of state powers and setting in motion the creation of parallel institutions in the Republika Srpska (RS) unit in BiH. Moreover, Dodik has used his official position in BiH to amass personal wealth through bribery and other forms of corruption. His divisive ethno-nationalist rhetoric reflects his efforts to advance these political goals and to divert attention from his corrupt activities. “These actions threaten the stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH and undermine the Dayton Peace Accords.” says the announcement of the US Treasury Department for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

“Milorad Dodik’s corrupt destabilizing activities and attempts to dismantle the Dayton Peace Accord, motivated by his own self-interest, threaten the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region. The United States will not hesitate to act against those who pursue corruption, destabilization, and division at the expense of its people, as well as against those who enable and facilitate such behavior.“, Said the Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson.

DODIK DESTABYING AND CORRUPTIVE ACTIVITIES BY US:

The Dayton Peace Accords (DAs), signed by the presidents of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia in 1995, ended ethnic conflict in BiH and established the current BiH constitution. The Treasury previously appointed Dodik on 17 January 2017 for active obstruction or significant risk of active obstruction of the DPA. Today’s actions are based on this legacy, aiming at his ongoing destabilizing activity in relation to the DPA, as well as the abuse of his official position to engage in widespread corruption, which undermines state institutions in BiH.

Dodik has also openly called for and taken action towards the unilateral transfer of state powers from the BiH government to Republika Srpska (RS), one of the two constituent units of BiH along with the Brcko district. Dodik has also publicly opposed the internationally appointed High Representative for BiH and the composition of the BiH Constitutional Court. Moreover, Dodik has publicly denigrated other ethnic and religious groups within BiH, further sowing political division and stalemate. Therefore, Dodik has been assigned under EO 14033 as responsible for or collaborator, or directly or indirectly involved in a violation, or an act that has hindered or threatened the implementation of the DPA.

Dodik has also been appointed under EO 14033 to be responsible or collaborator, or directly or indirectly involved in corruption related to the Western Balkans. Specifically, he has set up a patronage network in BiH from which he and his associates benefit. As an example of his corrupt actions, Dodik has offered government contracts and monopolies in RS directly to close business associates. With his corrupt income, Dodik has been involved in bribery and additional corrupt activities to advance his personal interests at the expense of the citizens of RS.

Dodik’s personal media

Alternativna Televizija doo Banja Luka (ATV), a media outlet based in Banja Luka, RS, is privately owned by a company closely associated with the Dodik family. However, Dodik himself exercises personal control over ATV behind the scenes, such as seeking personal approval for media stories related to politically sensitive topics. Dodik bought the ATV to deliberately and explicitly advance his agenda, which includes his efforts to denigrate other political figures, to illuminate his public image, and to advance his personal and political goals.

Dodik has given ATV-related contracts directly to members of his family, which he has used as another avenue for corruption. He has poured money directly from public companies into ATVs for corrupt purposes. Dodik has significantly increased funding for ATV in recent years and has engaged in malicious social media influence campaigns through ATV to publish content that advances his political and personal goals.

ATV is determined based on EO 14033 that it is owned or controlled by, or has acted or claimed to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Dodik.

Earlier, Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic announced sanctions against Dodik.

She said that there is a harmonized position of the United States of America and the European Union and that this will not be the end, but only the beginning of the imposition of sanctions.

In November last year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States, which mediated in reaching the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords with Bosnia and Herzegovina, could impose sanctions on those seeking to withdraw. unilaterally by state institutions or destabilize the agreement.

Dodik, who is also president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, answered a journalist’s question about possible sanctions warned by Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic.

“These are their sanctions, they are not ours. I do not intend to apply for a visa to America, even if the sanctions are lifted tomorrow“, Said Dodik before.

The work of state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been blocked since July last year, when representatives of the Republika Srpska entity refused to participate in any decision-making.

The Republika Srpska parliament has already taken some initiatives that could lead to secession from Bosnia.

Republika Srpska, which is one of the two entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, was asked to abandon the establishment of a drug agency and further activities to unilaterally take over the state’s competencies.

All of this has caused the biggest political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995, so some international officials have talked about the possibility of imposing sanctions.

However, some European politicians, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have opposed the possibility of sanctions against some Republika Srpska officials, including Bosnia and Herzegovina presidency member Milorad Dodik.

On December 10 last year, the Assembly of Republika Srpska approved the conclusions that provide for the “return of competencies” from the state level to the entity, as well as the Declaration on Constitutional Principles of Republika Srpska, which instructs the institutions of this mechanism to draft a constitution that will made Banja Luka the capital of the entity, while Palle, which is not far from the capital, Sarajevo, to be the historic capital.

Earlier, on October 20 last year, the same body adopted the Law on Drugs and Medical Devices, which provides for the establishment of a drug agency, which operates at the state level since 2009.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was worrying and that Dodik’s efforts for Republika Srpska to secede from Bosnia were unacceptable.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0549

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