"We are surprised by today's unpleasant information that there was a reaction from the United Kingdom Government, due to our professional engagement as a marketing agency," 'Mania' agency said Monday on the occasion of British Government sanctions over their work which the UK saw as their involvement in undermining the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The agency said that in almost ten years of its existence, they have successfully cooperated with numerous domestic and foreign clients.

“Among others, we worked on projects for the EU, GIZ, UNICEF, UNDP, and USAID, but also on projects with the British Embassy. The same Embassy invited us to participate in the round table as an example of successful entrepreneurs as initiators of change at the local and state level,” the agency stated in their media statement.

Speaking about the engagement for which they were sanctioned on Monday, they noted that they applied to a public call issued by the institution for which anyone on the market could apply.

“While doing our work, we adhered to the norms and rules of the profession, and professionally fulfilled the obligations defined by the contracting authority, which were also adhered to by other legal entities that were engaged in the same project in previous years, and no one was sanctioned. We hope that such decisions do not send negative messages to other young people that staying in this country and doing their job professionally is possible without different kinds of pressure. The Mania agency employs over 25 young and talented people who, without unnecessary politicization, will continue to prove their creativity and quality in the implementation of domestic and foreign projects through future professional engagements,” the company said.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said Monday that they designated the Bosnian marketing agency under the UK’s Bosnia and Herzegovina sanctions regime, just days after it delivered a contract to organise illegal public celebrations to mark the so-called ‘Republika Srpska Day’ on 9th January.

The organising of celebrations on this date has been repeatedly ruled unconstitutional and discriminatory by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court.

The designation includes an asset freeze and prevents Mania from receiving business with UK companies. It underlines the UK’s firm commitment to protecting stability in the Western Balkans.