US lifts sanctions on Dodik’s associates who participated in organizing unconstitutional January 9 celebration

They were sanctioned for their roles in organizing January 9 as the Day of Republika Srpska - a holiday repeatedly declared unconstitutional by Bosnia’s Constitutional Court - and for activities that undermined the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The New York Times reported this week on the lobbying efforts of the RS authorities, which, according to the paper, have borne fruit. The report stated that sanctions had been temporarily eased for Danijel Dragicevic, Dodik’s former chief of staff.

However, according to the U.S. Treasury Department’s announcement, it now appears that he, along with the others, has been fully removed from the sanctions list.

Jelena Pajic Bastinac was a member of the organizing committee for “RS Day” and participated in planning the January 9 event, despite warnings from High Representative Christian Schmidt.

Goran Rakovic, who at the time headed the RS Protocol Office, was sanctioned for organizing “RS Day” on Dodik’s orders, while Dijana Milankovic, director of RTRS, was sanctioned for promoting unconstitutional activities and commemorations of this day.