The US Treasury targeted individuals and entities close to Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik with sanctions on November 6 — the same day the politician hosted a cocktail reception to celebrate the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election. 

Dodik, the president of Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Serb entity Republika Srpska, has been sanctioned by the US for years. Subsequently, his family and closest associates were also added to the US blacklist.

Dodik is a controversial politician who has repeatedly challenged the authority of Bosnia’s state level authorities as well as pushing for the secession of Republika Srpska. He has cultivated ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, visiting Russia several times since the invasion of Ukraine. 

He welcomed Trump’s return to the US presidency, writing on X: “I expect the new US administration to be a partner that understands the importance of stability and supports local leaders to decide their own future.” 

Later on November 6, he hosted a cocktail party for Trump, saying he had done so because the US embassy in Sarajevo “didn’t organise a celebration”. Pictures from the event show Dodik in a red baseball cap with Trump’s campaign slogan Make America Great Again (MAGA). 

There is speculation that Dodik may be hoping that with the return of Trump to the White House, the sanctions on him will be lifted. 

Despite this, the US Department of Treasury said on November 6 its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned one individual and one entity who support network that attempts to evade US sanctions imposed on Dodik and his family.

“This network is directly linked to U.S.-designated Igor Dodik (Igor), the son of Milorad Dodik (Dodik), the US-designated President of BiH’s Republika Srpska (RS), one of two entities that make up BiH. For years, Dodik has used his official position to accumulate personal wealth through companies linked to himself and Igor. This corruption has contributed to an undermining of public confidence in BiH state institutions and the rule of law,” the Treasury said in the statement.

In June this year, the US also sanctioned several companies that have been used by Dodik’s network to avoid the sanctions. As their bank accounts were frozen, they were forced to go bankrupt shortly after that.

“Since the designations, the Dodik network has pursued an aggressive strategy to attempt to circumvent the effects of sanctions, namely by restructuring and reestablishing corporate entities to obfuscate his control and transfer company assets from designated entities,” the statement noted.

Dodik has been directing government contracts to a network of private companies controlled by him and Igor through nominal owners.

On November 6, the US designated one of these owners, Vladimir Perisic, the general director of Prointer company, which was blacklisted in June. Another Igor’s associate, Milenko Cicic, was also sanctioned.

The two businessmen have attempted to avoid the June sanction by establishing new companies replacing the old ones. At the time, the US has warned this step would not go unsanctioned.