The United States is today designating three individuals who facilitated the Republika Srpska's unconstitutional commemoration of Republika Srpska Day on January 9, thus supporting Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik's efforts to undermine the territorial integrity, peace, and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This activity represents Dodik's latest effort to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitutional Court, and the authority of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, posing a significant risk to regional peace and stability.
On January 8-10, 2024, the Republika Srpska government organized celebrations of Republika Srpska Day in direct defiance of Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitutional Court decisions that ruled the commemoration to be unconstitutional because it prioritizes "the religious heritage, tradition and customs of only the Serb people" and thus violates the constitutional obligation of non-discrimination. The High Representative stated that the celebration of January 9 as Republika Srpska Day represented "a clear and direct failure to implement the final and binding decisions of the BiH Constitutional Court," with such non-compliance constituting a criminal offense under Bosnia and Herzegovina law.
The United States condemns efforts to undermine regional peace frameworks and norms in the Western Balkans. The Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina are essential to peace and stability in the country, and we will continue to impose costs on those who seek to erode these authorities.
The Department of the Treasury designated Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik on January 5, 2022, and on January 17, 2017. Dodik personally directed an organizing committee, in which the three designated individuals took part, to plan 2024 Republika Srpska Day commemorations. In facilitating the celebration of Republika Srpska Day on January 9, these individuals knowingly defied the conclusions of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitutional Court and High Representative and demonstrated open contempt for the Dayton Peace Agreement. Treasury's actions today were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14033
