Lawmakers urge Trump to impose Balkan sanctions

A bipartisan group of high-ranking lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Bosnian Serb officials after recently interrogated the authors of a genocide denial report. In a statement, Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker, Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, and Durbin, along with Reps.

Bill Keating and Mike Turner, called for the Trump administration to comply with this year's defense legislation, which mandates sanctions against those threatening the security, stability, or territorial integrity of Western Balkans areas. The White House and State Department have not yet responded to inquiries. This is not the first time Congress has used this provision, which was enacted in March.

In previous calls for action, lawmakers highlighted former Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik's dangerous rhetoric, which has reignited fears of a Bosnian civil war similar to the one that claimed over 100,000 lives three decades ago. Dodik recently stepped down from office for violating Bosnia and Herzegovina's peace agreements but was welcomed back to Washington in February.

The administration's reluctance to sanction Dodik, who is financially and politically invested in maintaining close ties to Republika Srpska, may stem from his role in downplaying the Srebrenica genocide. US officials expressed concerns over Dodik's potential influence over the administration's Balkans policy, which may hinder unrelated efforts, such as obtaining a $1 billion pipeline deal for a US company with ties to the president.