Biden expands the scope of sanctions for companies and people in the Western Balkans

2025-01-08 20:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Biden expands the scope of sanctions for companies and people in the Western

The President of the United States, Joe Biden

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, on Wednesday expanded the scope of sanctions for companies and people involved in the destabilization of the countries of the Western Balkans.

This applies to those who are subject to US punitive measures for challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries of the Western Balkans, violating post-war agreements and institutions, as well as participating in significant corruption that undermines the rule of law and trust in democratic governance and avoiding US government sanctions.

With this executive order, Biden has taken additional steps, amending and supplementing the three orders related to the Western Balkans from 2021, which deal with freezing assets and banning entry into the US for people who contribute to the destabilization of the region, the White House said in a statement.

The 2021 regulation provides that the sanctions - freezing assets and banning entry to the US - apply to persons who are directly or indirectly responsible for actions and policies that threaten the peace, security, stability or territorial integrity of an area or a state in the Balkans Western, undermine democratic processes or institutions, violate human rights or engage in corruption.

Sanctions are applied to people who, directly or indirectly, have participated or attempted to participate in violating, obstructing or jeopardizing the implementation of regional security, peace agreements or mutual recognition agreements in the Western Balkans, the announcement said.

"This includes the Prespa Agreement of 2018, the Ohrid Framework Agreement of 2001, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the Dayton Agreement, or the conclusions of the Peace Implementation Council held in London in December 1995, including the decisions or conclusions of the High Representative, the Peace Implementation Council or the Board his Head or the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, i.e. the remaining International Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals", the announcement further states.

What's new?

The new regulation states that sanctions apply to anyone the US Treasury Department, in consultation with the US State Department, determines to be a director, officer or member of an entity, including a government entity, that has participated in or attempted to participate in any of the activities defined by the previous regulation.

The measures will also apply to persons who assisted, sponsored or provided financial, material or technological support, or goods or support services, to any person whose assets and interests in assets are frozen in accordance with that regulation.

They also apply to those found to own or control, directly or indirectly, any person whose assets and interests in assets are blocked in accordance with the regulation.

The measures now also apply to spouses or adult children of persons whose assets and interests in assets are blocked in accordance with the regulation.

Biden stressed in the decree that additional steps are being taken "in view of events in the Western Balkans, including the ongoing efforts of individuals to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Western Balkan states, to undermine post-war agreements and institutions, to engaged in significant corruption that undermines the rule of law and confidence in democratic governance and evasion of US government sanctions"./REL