The Minister of Finance of Republika Srpska, Zora Vidović, stated in an interview with RTRS that Assistant U.S. Secretary of State James O’Brien “should investigate why the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered the closure of bank accounts belonging to individuals and legal entities in Srpska that are on the U.S. sanctions list.”
Vidović pointed out that “the sanctions imposed on individuals and legal entities in Republika Srpska have nothing to do with corruption, as O’Brien claims, because none of those affected have been prosecuted or convicted for corruption.”
“He says that dollar accounts are being closed because they don’t want their currency to be used for corrupt activities. However, here in Srpska, accounts in convertible marks were closed—accounts through which people receive their salaries in BAM. I would recommend that O’Brien contact the U.S. Embassy to find out what happened, as we have information from the banks that this embassy ordered the closure of those accounts,” Vidović emphasized.
She added that she had not received any official documentation or notification from the Embassy but that the banks confirmed they had been instructed to close the accounts.
“The OFAC list means you can’t have a dollar account and that your assets in the U.S. can be seized. But what is happening here is not in line with our laws or international laws. The question arises as to what happened in Republika Srpska, and I believe this needs to be clarified in the coming period,” Vidović stressed.
Commenting on O’Brien’s statement that the ruling SNSD party in Srpska has access to resources and, therefore, more opportunities to engage in corrupt activities, Vidović said that this claim is based on mere assumptions.
“He says that the government manages the resources of Republika Srpska, which is the case in every country. Then he assumes that since SNSD has the largest share in the government, it is presumed that they use those resources for corruption. You can imagine imposing sanctions on someone based on assumptions, without evidence or verdicts. They impose sanctions on the assumption that SNSD is engaged in corrupt activities,” Vidović said.
She emphasized that the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has prevented the Government of Republika Srpska from accessing international markets, which is against all laws and based on force, questioning whether O’Brien is aware of this.
Despite this, Vidović assured that Republika Srpska will not go bankrupt but will continue to progress, develop, and strengthen its position.
“Imposing sanctions on a government means preventing it from functioning. This implies a desire for the disappearance of the Government of Republika Srpska, Srpska itself, and the creation of a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are aware of this, and we will fight to the last politically and legally, in accordance with the law, to preserve our position,” Vidović emphasized, adding that the U.S. Embassy and the opposition in Republika Srpska have been talking about Srpska’s bankruptcy for three years, but that it will not happen.
Source: Glas Srpske
