Yesterday, the UK Government has announced the first UK sanctions under the Bosnia and Herzegovina sanctions regime.

The UK Government has sanctioned Milorad Dodik and Željka Cvijanović for their undermining of the legitimacy and functionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Their reckless behavior threatens stability

The UK sanctions mean that Dodik and Cvijanović will be unable to travel to the UK or use or access any assets they may have in the UK.

- These two politicians are deliberately undermining the hard-won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Encouraged by Putin, their reckless behavior threatens stability and security across the Western Balkans. With these tough sanctions, we are showing that the enemies of peace will be held to account - said UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

These are not sanctions against Republic of Srpska and its citizens. These are sanctions against two individuals who have acted irresponsibly with the power entrusted to them, stated the UK Embassy Sarajevo.

Asset freeze and travel ban

The Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 allows the UK to designate individuals who undermine or threaten the sovereignty, territorial integrity, international personality or constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its peace, stability or security, obstruct the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (GFAP), or any other action, policy or activity which undermines the GFAP. 

Asset freeze: an asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person and which are held in the UK. It will also prevent funds or economic resources from being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.

Travel ban: a travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual to be an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.