The first people of companies from Republika Srpska, which were sanctioned by the United States of America on June 18 "because of their connection" with the president of that entity, Milorad Dodik, registered the new company "Invictus Technology Group".
According to data from the RS business register, the new company was registered at the same address in Banja Luka as the headquarters of the sanctioned company Prointer ITSS.
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Prointer ITSS, Infinity, K-2 Audio Company, Sirius 2010, Una World, and the Kaldera Company because, it said, they "provide significant sources of income" to the family previously sanctioned pro-Russian president of that entity, Milorad Dodik.
State and entity institutions and companies awarded 1.801 jobs worth 240,4 million euros to those companies, which dealt with information technologies, energy and media.
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The director and owner of 35 percent of the newly founded company Invictus is Bojan Vujić, who was the director of Infinity International Group, one of the sanctioned companies.
Nemanja Reljin, the founder of Sirius 2010, is registered as the owner of 35 percent of the new company. Vladimir Perišić, the director of Prointer, and Radmila Bojanić, who was the director of strategy and planning in the Infiniti group, each own 15 percent of the newly founded company Invictus. Wholesale trade in computers, peripheral equipment and software is listed as the basis of the activity. The founding capital is 1.000 marks (512 euros).
"Prointer" previously confirmed to Radio Free Europe (RSE) that they are "in the process" of shutting down all sanctioned legal entities within the "Infinity International Group", of which they are a part, "because they no longer have the possibility of doing business".
In recent months, banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina have closed most of the accounts of companies and individuals that have come under US sanctions, so that they themselves would not be in danger of sanctions. According to the laws in BiH, the company cannot do business in cash and must have a bank account, since the former Social Bookkeeping Service and payment institutions were abolished in 2001.
The Public Relations Office of the US Embassy in BiH told RSE that re-registration of the company in order to avoid or circumvent sanctions is not allowed, according to American laws.
On April 18, the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska voted for urgent changes to the RS Labor Law, which legalized the payment of wages "in an envelope". The law was amended since the banks closed the accounts of the sanctioned persons and they could not receive their salary.
American sanctions have been imposed on thousands of individuals and companies from the Western Balkans, most of them accused or convicted of war crimes committed in the 1990s. In recent years, the USA has imposed sanctions on individuals and companies in BiH and the region for undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement, corruption or ties with Russia.
Among them is the top of that entity, including President Milorad Dodik with his family and their companies, Prime Minister Radovan Višković and Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandić, several ministers, as well as BiH Presidency member from RS Željka Cvijanović.
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