The UK has today sanctioned Milorad Dodik, Bosnian-Serb member of
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level Presidency, and Zeljka
Cvijanovic, President of the entity of Republika Srpska, for
their destabilising activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The designations, which include travel bans and asset freezes,
are the first under the UK’s Bosnia and Herzegovina sanctions
regime.
Emboldened by Russia’s undermining of the international
rules-based system, both individuals have used their positions of
authority to push for de facto secession of Republika Srpska –
one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s two entities – in direct
contravention of the country’s constitution.
Milorad Dodik has driven action to withdraw Republika
Srpska from key State institutions, using divisive, dangerous,
nationalist rhetoric, undermining domestic and regional peace and
encouraging ethnic hatred and genocide denial.
Meanwhile, in October 2021, Zeljka
Cvijanovic used her office to table legislation in
Republika Srpska seeking to transfer state competencies to the
entity level. Cvijanovic has publicly glorified war criminals and
denied the genocide at Srebrenica.
Working in coordination with the US and other like-minded
partners, the Foreign Secretary hopes today’s announcement will
encourage other nations to apply similar restrictive measures
which hold politicians to account for their destabilising and
dangerous behaviour.
Foreign Secretary said:
“These two politicians are deliberately undermining the hard
won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Encouraged by Putin, their
reckless behaviour threatens stability and security across the
Western Balkans.
“With these tough sanctions we are showing that the enemies
of peace will be held to account.”
Dodik and Cvijanovic’s actions and rhetoric threaten to undo 26
years of hard-won peace and stability, and undermine the General
Framework Agreement for Peace (Dayton Peace
Agreement), which brought hostilities to an end in 1995.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
· The General Framework
Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton
Agreement) signed in 1995 brought an end to the conflict.
Under Annex 4 of the agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s
constitution states that the country shall consist of two
entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
Republika Srpska.
· The Bosnia and
Herzegovina (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations
2020 allows the UK to designate individuals
who:
o undermine or threaten the sovereignty,
territorial integrity, international personality or
constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
o undermine or threaten its peace, stability or
security;
o obstruct the implementation of the
GFAP;
o or any other action, policy or activity which
undermines the GFAP.
· Asset
freeze: an asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any
business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic
resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated
person and which are held in the UK. It will also prevent funds
or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the
designated person.
· Travel
ban: a travel ban means that the designated person must
be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom,
providing the individual to be an excluded person under section
8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
