Diana Kajmakovic, a state prosecutor in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) State Prosecutor’s Office has been sanctioned today by the US for her role in corruption related to the Western Balkans as well as the actions that “undermine democratic processes or institutions” in the Western Balkans.
“Her abuse of her position as a state prosecutor to assist criminals, including drug traffickers, in avoiding justice is emblematic of the endemic corruption in BiH’s public institutions and representative of a system in which people in power put their own personal and political gain before the needs of citizens,” said Ned Price.
The United States’ Western Balkans sanctions program
The US targets individuals and entities that “undermine or threaten” the Dayton Peace Agreement. Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to Price is “facing its most serious political crisis since 1995, constrained by ethno-nationalist political parties that exploit patronage networks to retain power and wealth. Moreover, the country’s justice system is increasingly captured by, and under the control of, political parties and their patronage networks.”
The United States, according to Price will continue to sanction those involved in corrupt activities or undermine democratic processes and institutions in the Western Balkans.