UK imposes sanctions on two Bosnian Serb leaders accused of undermining peace
April 11, 2022, 5:18 pm

UK imposes sanctions on two Bosnian Serb leaders accused of undermining peace

UK parliament-Big Ben/Pixabay

The A News reported, the British government on Monday (Apr 11) announced sanctions against two Bosnian Serb leaders for undermining peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Balkans region.

Milorad Dodik, the Bosnian Serb member of the country's tripartite Presidency Council, and Zeljka Cvijanovic, the president of the Serb entity Republika Srpska, have both been sanctioned with travel bans and asset freezes for their destabilizing activities in recent months.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement: "These two politicians are deliberately undermining the hard-won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Encouraged by (Russian President) Putin, their reckless behavior threatens stability and security across the Western Balkans."

She added: "With these tough sanctions, we are showing that the enemies of peace will be held to account."

(File photo and text: British foreign minister Liz Truss Facebook page) — (File photo: British foreign minister Liz Truss Facebook page)

According to Downing Street, Dodik has threatened to withdraw Republika Srpska from key state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and has increased the use of divisive, dangerous, and ultra-nationalist rhetoric that undermines the peace and stability established after the violent conflict that followed Yugoslavia's breakup 30 years ago.

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Cvijanovic has exploited her office and position to table legislation in the Serb entity that would transfer state powers and laws to Republika Srpska, a move that would violate the Constitution and threaten to further divide the country. She has also publicly glorified Serbian war criminals while denying the genocide at Srebrenica.

A government statement: "Emboldened by Russia's undermining of the international rules-based system, both individuals have used their positions of authority to push for the de facto secession of Republika Srpska -- one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's two entities -- in direct contravention of the country's constitution."

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The UK accuses both Dodik and Cvijanovic of undermining domestic and regional harmony and encouraging ethnic hatred and division, as well as genocide denial that threatens to reignite ethnic divisions.

The government is working alongside the US and other allies to encourage other nations to follow suit and apply similar measures that will aim to prevent a return to conflict and violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Balkan region.

Source: anews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.