US Lawmakers Urge Sanctions on Bosnian Serb Officials Over Srebrenica Incident

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has again urged President Donald Trump's administration to impose sanctions on officials in Republika Srpska. This call follows reports that Republika Srpska authorities summoned 26 current and former staff from the Srebrenica Memorial Center for questioning by the Zvornik Police Department. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Roger Wicker, Chuck Grassley, and Dick Durbin, along with Congressmen Bill Keating and Mike Turner, expressed strong concern over these actions.

They highlighted the Memorial Center's vital role in preserving the truth of the Srebrenica genocide, honoring victims, and protecting human rights. The lawmakers requested sanctions under the National Defense Authorization Act, targeting those who threaten Western Balkan stability. Both the U.S. House and Senate recognize Srebrenica as genocide. They warned that attempts to deny history for political gain deepen ethnic divisions and endanger peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Leaders from Republika Srpska, including Milorad Dodik, have not responded to Washington's message. U.S. institutions have previously acted against Republika Srpska political figures for similar threats to Bosnia and Herzegovina's constitutional order and stability.