US Lifts Sanctions on Bosnian Serb Leader Milorad Dodik and Associates

The U.S. Treasury Department has lifted sanctions imposed on Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik, his close associates, family members, and related companies. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) did not explain the reasons for the removal.

Bosnian Serb officials reported they had been secretly working to establish a "new relationship" with Washington.

Dodik, the former president of the Republika Srpska in Bosnia, was removed from office in August by court order and barred from political involvement. The U.S. had imposed sanctions in 2017 due to his defiance of the Dayton Peace Agreement. He had advocated for the secession of Republika Srpska.

On October 18, Bosnian Serb lawmakers elected a transitional president, acknowledging that Dodik no longer has a role. Parliament also repealed autonomy laws after Dodik was prosecuted.

The State Department welcomed the lifting of sanctions as a result of U.S. efforts to de-escalate the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.