With the introduction of sanctions, the United States (U.S.) labeled Zeljka Cvijanovic, Radovan Viskovic, Nenad Stevandic, and Milos Bukejlovic responsible for the attack on the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). An important message. The U.S.’s confirmation that it remains an ally of integral multi-ethnic BiH and a clear warning to the leaders of leading politics in Republika Srpska (RS) to stop. However, earlier examples show that the sanctions were short-lived.
The U.S. blacklist has been expanded by four names – and for at least as many reasons. Among them, are resistance to the Constitution, the dismantling of the state, and non-implementation of the decisions of the High Representative. All through the entity parliament, where lively debates on the Constitutional Court of BiH were held, threats were made and ultimatums were dictated. And in the end, everything is made official by the Law. So, therefore, a well-known tool. Sanctions against those responsible. Although the listed crimes are serious, the punishment seems to be mild. It only includes a ban on entry into the U.S. and the blocking of financial resources.
“It’s good to see that there are people in the U.S., in the State Department, who want to protect the order that the U.S. built with a lot of effort because we saw that they supported Christian Schmidt at the same time, who was destroying that order. It is obvious that this is a struggle of political forces within the State Department itself – some see it this way, others that way,” says Zlatko Hadzidedic, professor of international relations.
Academician Slavo Kukic is not sure that these sanctions will have any special effect on their own – this, he adds, is shown by the experience with sanctions on some other politicians, both in the RS and in the Federation of BiH (FBiH).
Numerous examples of people who have been blacklisted for years show that the consequences are not that significant. Zeljka Cvijanovic was blacklisted by the United Kingdom (UK) last year. At that time, she was the entity president of the RS. She changed her position, but not her policy. Sanctions did not stop her, but insiders claim that they are working slowly but surely until they are effective.
“People in the Balkans underestimate the U.S. sanctions – they even make fun of them, which is absolutely unacceptable. The U.S., in fact, with the help of its allies in Europe, has been stopping the flow of money to the RS for months. Dodik and Cvijanovic cannot get a loan anywhere,” claims Ivica Puljic, Al Jazeera Balkans reporter.
“The European Union (EU) has proven many times that it wants this kind of development in the Balkans and that it does not mind the strengthening of secessionist forces,” says Hadzidedic.
The absence of consensus in the EU does not prevent members from opting for individual sanctions. Germany has already suspended projects in this entity.
“However, when Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Austria impose sanctions on you – you don’t need that joint action, and neither Viktor Orban nor others like him will specifically save Dodik and others like him,” adds Kukic.
Sanctions – new, old, and announced – are, at least apparently, ignored in the RS. Blacklists did not stop the leading policy of this entity, but in the long run, they leave consequences. With sanctioned leaders, the RS becomes an undesirable partner and for foreign investors an unsafe ground for new projects. Thus, due to the responsibility of individuals, everyone pays the price, but mostly the citizens.
E.Dz.
