US sanctions 2 Bosnian officials for undermining peace

Jun 6, 2022, 9:41 AM | Updated: 10:00 am

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The United States sanctioned two prominent Bosnian officials Monday, accusing them of threatening the peace, stability and prosperity in their country which has never fully recovered from its brutal inter-ethnic war in the 1990s.

The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Marinko Cavara and Alen Seranic, alleging the pair have sought “to pursue ethno-nationalist and political agendas at the expense of the democratic institutions and citizens” of Bosnia.

Marinko Cavara, in his capacity as the president of one of Bosnia’s two post-war administrative parts, the Bosniak-Croat Federation, has refused to nominate the judges to the region’s constitutional court and otherwise “directly or indirectly engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes and institutions,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.

It added that Cavara, who is a member of the strongest Bosnian Croat political party, the nationalist HDZ, has done so to further “his and his party’s political interests.”

Alen Seranic, the health and social welfare minister in the government of Bosnia’s other administrative part, Republika Srpska, has been sanctioned for “furthering the secessionist efforts” over his ministry’s work on forming an exclusively Serb drugs and medicinal products administration.

The move was interpreted by the Treasury Department as part of a drive by the ruling Bosnian Serb nationalist party, SNSD, of which Seranic is a member, to separate Republika Srpska — which covers about half of Bosnia’s territory — from the rest of the country, including by unilaterally withdrawing from its shared multi-ethnic institutions.

The Treasury Department accused both officials of undermining the U.S.-sponsored 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended Bosnia’s more than 3½ years of interethnic bloodshed and established the two separate governing entities in the country.

The two entities were given wide autonomy, but are linked by shared, state-wide institutions, including a drugs and medicinal products agency, and all actions at a national level require consensus from all three ethnic groups.

The work of the shared but also of some regional institutions has for long been obstructed by the dominant Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb nationalist parties over their continued desire to either completely dismantle or further ethnically divide the country.

Welcoming the announcement of sanctions by the Treasury Department, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted Monday that Bosnia’s future “cannot be compromised by ethno-nationalist parties at the expense of its citizens.”

The Bosnian war pitted the country’s three main ethnic factions — Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks — against each other after the breakup of Yugoslavia. More than 100,000 people were killed in the conflict before a peace deal was brokered in 1995.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)...

Associated Press

Donald Trump stored, showed off and refused to return classified documents, indictment says

An indictment charging former President Donald Trump with mishandling classified documents has been unsealed.

2 days ago

FILE - A bottle of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey is displayed next to a Bad Spaniels dog toy in A...

Associated Press

Ruff day in court: Supreme Court sides with Jack Daniel’s in dispute with makers of dog toy

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave whiskey maker Jack Daniel's reason to raise a glass, handing the company a new chance to win a trademark dispute with the makers of the Bad Spaniels dog toy.

3 days ago

(Pixabay Photo)...

Associated Press

6 arrested in alleged scheme to fraudulently collect millions in COVID aid meant for renters

Six people from Washington, Arizona and Texas have been arrested and accused of fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars of COVID-19 aid from an assistance program meant for renters, federal prosecutors said.

3 days ago

FILE - Protesters stand outside of the Senate chamber at the Indiana Statehouse on Feb. 22, 2023, i...

Associated Press

LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning

The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. on Tuesday.

5 days ago

FILE - People wait in line outside the Supreme Court in Washington to listen to oral arguments in a...

Associated Press

Supreme Court opened the door to states’ voting restrictions. Now a new ruling could widen them.

Within hours of a U.S. Supreme Court decision dismantling a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, Texas lawmakers announced plans to implement a strict voter ID law that had been blocked by a federal court. Lawmakers in Alabama said they would press forward with a similar law that had been on hold.

5 days ago

Gavel (Pexels Photo)...

Associated Press

Ex-teacher sentenced to prison for making death threat against Arizona legislator

A former Tucson middle school teacher was sentenced Tuesday to 2 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to making a death threat against Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers.

5 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

How to identify the symptoms of 3 common anxiety disorders

Living with an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and cause significant stress for those who suffer from the condition.

US sanctions 2 Bosnian officials for undermining peace