The United Kingdom has confirmed that Milorad Dodik and Željka Cvijanović remain under British sanctions, despite the recent removal of restrictions by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The announcement came in response to a query from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty regarding the status of the sanctions on the President of Republika Srpska and member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.
The British Foreign Office explained that the UK sanctions regime targets individuals who undermine or threaten the sovereignty, territorial integrity, international standing, or constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Milorad Dodik and Željka Cvijanović continue to be subject to sanctions due to such actions. The sanctions are purposeful, and we hope Dodik and Cvijanović will change course and demonstrate a fundamental commitment to respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement and the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the statement read.
The sanctions, first imposed on April 11, 2022, included travel bans and asset freezes and were the first British sanctions targeting Bosnia and Herzegovina. The UK government emphasized that these measures were not aimed at Republika Srpska as an entity, nor at its citizens. Under the sanctions, Dodik and Cvijanović are prohibited from traveling to the UK and from accessing any assets they may hold within British jurisdiction.
The sanctions were introduced in response to Dodik and Cvijanović allegedly using their positions to push for a de facto separation of Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina, actions that violated the country’s constitution. According to the UK government, Dodik engaged in divisive and nationalist rhetoric, threatened internal and regional peace, and promoted ethnic hatred while denying the Srebrenica genocide. Cvijanović, meanwhile, allegedly supported legislation transferring state-level powers to Republika Srpska, publicly praised convicted war criminals, and denied the genocide in Srebrenica.
At the time the sanctions were imposed, Dodik was serving as a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Cvijanović was the President of Republika Srpska.
