New Sanctions Target Network Supporting Bosnian Serb Leader Milorad Dodik

A network of individuals and companies supporting Milorad Dodik, the sanctioned president of Bosnia's Serb-led region, faces new sanctions from the U.S. Treasury. Two individuals and seven firms providing revenue for Dodik and his son were designated. Dodik's presidency has allegedly been used to direct government contracts to their private firms.

A new wave of sanctions has hit a network of individuals and companies backing Milorad Dodik, the president of Bosnia's Serb-led region. The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated two individuals and seven companies, accusing them of channeling revenue to Dodik and his family, including his son Igor Dodik.

The Treasury alleges that Dodik has exploited his position to award government contracts to private firms under his and his son's control. Dodik was initially sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 for allegedly engaging in corrupt activities that could destabilize the region and undermine a U.S.-brokered peace accord.

Dodik has long called for the separation of the Serb entity from the rest of Bosnia, with Russia's backing. Concerns are mounting in the U.S. that Russia seeks to destabilize Bosnia to divert attention from its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Brian Nelson, Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated, ''We will continue to expose the fraudulent schemes that enable Dodik and his family to exploit their own people for their personal benefit.''