The United States Department of Treasury has sanctioned Milorad Dodik, the leader of Serbs in Bosnia, and his associated media channel Alternativna Televizija (ATV) for “corrupt activities and continued threats to the stability and territorial integrity of BiH.”
This is the first designation issued under Biden’s executive order of June 2021 which blocked all US-based property owned by persons contributing to destabilization in the Western Balkans, and banned said persons from entering the U.S.
“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,” reads the order.
ATV, a company closely linked to Dodik’s family, has also been designated by the order.
The Department of Treasury’s press releases claims that Dodik “has funneled money directly from public companies to ATV for corrupt purposes. Dodik has substantially increased funding for ATV in recent years and engaged in malign social media influence campaigns through ATV to publish content that advances his political and personal goals.”
The U.S. had warned that it would consider sanctions against Dodik for his secessionist activity in Bosnia. Dodik defied the warnings and in November 2021, the Serbian entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, voted to leave key state institutions, namely the Bosnian army, as well as Bosnia’s judiciary and tax system.
The newly-imposed sanctions, “all property and interests in property of the individual and entity above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to [Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.”
Furthermore, all U.S. persons or entities are banned from conducting translations with Dodik or ATV.
