On Tuesday, President Biden signed an executive order blocking all US-based property owned by persons contributing to destabilization in the Western Balkans, and bans said persons from entering the U.S.
The Executive Order grants broad powers to the Department of Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to determine who will be affected in Albania and the countries formed after the breakup of Yugoslavia.
The far-reaching Order targets individuals who have been responsible for undermining peace, security, and democratic processes in the Western Balkans, as well as the implementation of key international agreements. It is also directed at all persons who have engaged in human rights abuses and corruption.
The Order makes specific mention of the fact that any person engaged in the above behavior and activities “constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
Individuals and entities who have aided, financially or otherwise, the aforementioned persons also fall under the jurisdiction of the Order.
Besides corruption and violation of human rights, a number of specific agreements are mentioned, whose violators will be sanctioned by the US: the Prespa Agreement of 2018; the Ohrid Framework Agreement of 2001; the Dayton Accords; as well as any violation of the decisions of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
