Serbia will in no way implement sanctions against Serbs in BiH and Republika Srpska or their representatives said President Aleksandar Vučić, who expressed concern over the US Treasury imposing sanctions against BiH’s Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik.
“I am very concerned over the sanctions against Dodik and others in the Republika Srpska (RS) because of the way they were imposed,” Vučić told reporters in Belgrade on Thursday.
Vučić said he had spoken to Dodik and RS President Zeljka Cvijanović.
“Serbia is not happy about this nor does it believe that the solution lies in sanctions and there is no doubt that Serbia will not agree on any point and will not implement sanctions against its people and the representatives of the Serb people in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the RS,” Vučić commented.
He argued that the decision to impose sanctions on the Dodik-affiliated Alternativna TV from Banja Luka was terrible.
“We must maintain rational, decent and fair relations with the Americans as they are a great power while, on the other hand, we will not go back to the times when blockades and barricades targeting political representatives of our nation were being put up on the Drina,” he proceeded.
On the other hand, the EU announced it has “taken note” of the sanctions against Dodik and his associates but it has other methods for dealing with such issues.
Spokesperson Ana Pisonero announced, “The EU has a number of instruments, including the possibility of sanctions, but the decision on their use must be approved by the Council of the EU by consensus of all countries.”
A spokeswoman for the European Commission said that the EU supports all efforts to find a speedy solution to the political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to stop all unacceptable initiatives that endanger the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country.
