
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on five individuals and one entity for their roles in facilitating Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik and his family’s efforts to enrich themselves at the public’s expense. Sanctions were also applied to eight individuals who organized and carried out the 2024 commemoration of “Republika Srpska Day” (RS Day) at Dodik’s direction, an event deemed unconstitutional by the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Constitutional Court (CC) and in violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA).
“Today’s action highlights Dodik’s continued efforts to undermine the democratic and multiethnic framework that defines modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “The United States, leveraging our expanded authorities, remains committed to disrupting any attempts by Dodik and his cronies to enrich themselves and destabilize the region.”
Individuals and entities under sanctions
Among those targeted is Pavle Corovic, a dual BiH and Serbian national, husband of U.S.-designated Gorica Dodik, and director of Global Liberty d.o.o. Laktasi, an entity previously sanctioned in October 2023. Global Liberty, along with other Dodik-affiliated companies, has received substantial incentives from the RS budget. OFAC designated Corovic under Executive Order (E.O.) 14033 for his role in directly or indirectly controlling Global Liberty.
Also sanctioned are Radmila Bojanic and Nemanja Reljin, the director and owner, respectively, of Nimbus Innovations d.o.o. Banja Luka, a company designated in December 2024. Nimbus was previously merged with Sirius 2010 d.o.o. Banja Luka, another Dodik-affiliated entity sanctioned in June 2024. Both companies have been implicated in activities controlled by Igor Dodik, Milorad Dodik’s son. Bojanic regularly reported to Igor on business matters and sought his approval for decisions.
OFAC designated Bojanic and Reljin under E.O. 14033 for their control over Nimbus. Bojanic was additionally sanctioned for acting on behalf of Igor Dodik, whose property and interests are blocked under US sanctions.
Igor Dodik and Serbian associate Marko Gujanicic were also implicated in a scheme involving media research and public polling in BiH. The two sought to monopolize TV viewership measurement through a Cyprus-based company, SEE Media Research LTD, and local operations in BiH. The scheme included manipulating survey responses to benefit their operations. Gujanicic informed Igor of strategies to distort data and further their goals.
RS Day commemoration
From January 8–10, 2024, the RS government organized RS Day celebrations despite prior BiH Constitutional Court rulings declaring the event unconstitutional due to its discriminatory nature. Milorad Dodik personally oversaw the planning and implementation of these events, which the High Representative in BiH described as “a clear and direct failure to implement the final and binding decisions of the BiH Constitutional Court.”
The High Representative noted that non-compliance with Constitutional Court rulings is a criminal offence under BiH law. By defying these rulings and the authority of the High Representative, whose roles are enshrined in the DPA, the RS government’s actions directly undermined the agreement’s principles.
Sanctions were applied to key figures involved in organizing RS Day, including:
- RS Minister of Interior Sinisa Karan,
- Chief of Staff to the RS President Danijel Dragicevic,
- RS Protocol Office Head Goran Rakovic,
- RS Secretary General Dalibor Panic,
- Director of Radio Television Republika Srpska (RTRS) Dijana Milankovic,
- S Constitutional Court President Dzerard Selman,
- President of the RS Academy of Arts and Sciences Rajko Kuzmanovic,
- Chief of Cabinet to the RS National Assembly Speaker Goran Filipovic, as well as three additional members of the 2024 RS Day Organizing Committee, previously sanctioned on March 13, 2024.
U.S. Commitment
The United States continues to emphasize the importance of upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement and protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These sanctions demonstrate Washington’s determination to hold accountable those who threaten stability in the region.
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