January 06, 2022

US imposes sanctions on corrupt Bosnian politicians

topic:	Transparency and Corruption
located:	Bosnia and Herzegovina, USA
editor:	Katarina Panić

On 4 January, the US government imposed sanctions on Milorad Dodik, a member of the tripartite presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as well as on Banja Luka-based Alternativna Televizija (ATV), the media under his control. The sanctions come in response to Dodik's corrupt activities and continued threats to the integrity of the country - and to the stability of the Western Balkans. 

"Dodik has undermined BiH institutions by calling for the seizure of state competencies and setting in motion the creation of parallel institutions in Bosnia's Republika Srpska entity," the US Department of the Treasury stated in its press release. The sanctions imply that all property and interests in property of Dodik and ATV that are in the US, or the possession or control of US persons, are blocked.

"These are sanctions lobbied by several American officials who do not share the vision of BiH as I have and as it was signed in 1995 [by the Dayton Peace Accord],” Dodik told local media. “Suppose they think that they will discipline me like this. In that case, they are grossly mistaken [...] because I was not elected to represent the US, but the Republika Srpska people's interests."

It is expected that Dodik will sharpen his divisive nationalistic rhetoric to depict himself as a victim of the world's superpower and homogenise the voters before the general election on 2 October, as he uses every situation to regain fading support after 16 years in power. He also has Hungary on his side when it comes to the EU and Russia and China when it comes to the UN. He believes they will support him and veto whatever further measures are implemented against him.

"He has been under sanctions for years, and if he is to be believed, they do not particularly affect him,” Tanja Topić, a political analyst, explained to local media. “True, this is at odds with efforts and lobbying to get off that list. What is surprising are the sanctions against ATV - obviously, members of Dodik's family are also being targeted."

Additionally, the US Department of State announced yesterday that former highest judiciary official Milan Tegeltija and the MP Mirsad Kukić are ineligible for entry into the US due to their involvement in significant activities of corruption. Dodik is blacklisted as such for five years. 

"Dodik, Tegeltija, and Kukić have all shamelessly abused their positions to enrich themselves, their families, their political cronies, and the patronage networks they exploit, " the US Ambassador to Bosnia, Eric Nilsen, stated in his press release yesterday.

The decrease in election participation over the past several years hints at increased apathy from voters. It seems that ordinary people are accustomed to feeling helpless before the highly fraudulent electoral system.

Image by: AP Images

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