The American Office for Assets Control (OFAC), which operates under the Ministry of Finance, has included Vladimir Perišić, born in 1976, in the list of sanctioned entities from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), with the explanation that he is connected to Igor Dodik, the son of the president of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik. and both are already under US government sanctions.
ELPRING DOO registered in Laktaši, at the address XVI Krajiška Motorizovane Brigade 63, was added to the list of sanctioned companies.
According to OFAC data, the company was registered on July 17, 2024.
The Voice of America for BiH previously reported that the company Elpring was founded as the successor of the sanctioned company Kaldera.
"RS President Milorad Dodik, his associates and his helpers continue to use their privileged position to undermine the public's trust in regional peace frameworks and institutions that have brought stability and security to BiH," said the Acting Undersecretary for Terrorism and Intelligence Finance. The US remains committed to exposing the efforts of Dodik and his family to maintain their corrupt networks of patronage."
The USA already sanctioned Dodik on January 5, 2022, because he directly or indirectly participated in the violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, as well as for corrupt activities. The US also previously sanctioned Dodik on July 17, 2017, for obstructing or threatening to obstruct Dayton.
In addition, on October 20, 2023, the United States sanctioned Dodik's adult children, Igor and Gorica Dodik, under Executive Order "EO 14033" for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support, or goods or services or support To Dodik, a person whose assets and interests in assets are blocked based on the same order.
"Dodik's efforts to enrich himself led OFAC to sanction key parts of Dodik's network, including several companies and individuals under Igor's direct control, on October 20, 2023 and June 18, 2024," OFAC said. "Since then, Dodik's network has pursued an aggressive strategy in an attempt to circumvent the effects of the sanctions, restructuring and re-establishing companies to disguise his control and transferring company assets from certain entities."
Dodik used his official position to direct RS Government contracts to a network of private companies that he and Igor supervise, it is additionally stated. While Igor controls many of the companies in this network, he disguises his personal connection to the companies by relying on various nominal owners and directors.
One of these individuals is Vladimir Perišić, CEO of Prointer ITSS (Prointer), who was sanctioned by OFAC on June 18, 2024. As CEO of Prointer — an entity controlled by Igor — Perišić provided Igor with new information, sought Igor's approval and direction, and execution of business decisions according to Igor's instructions. In addition, Perisic proposed and implemented a corrupt scheme involving Prointer after receiving instructions and approval from Igor, according to the OFAC statement.
After sanctioning the Kaldera company on June 18, 2024, Igor ordered Milenko Čičić (sanctioned on the same date) to found Elpring doo Laktaši (Elpring), which would serve as a replacement for Kaldera. With Igor's approval, Čičić founded Elpring and coordinated the transfer of all Kaldera assets and operations, including Kaldera employees, to Elpring. During this process, Čičić routinely sought Igor's approval for making key business decisions and ensured that both Igor and he would have an Elpring account over which they could exercise control, according to the explanation of the US Treasury Department.
Among other things, the sanctioned officials are prohibited from entering the US, and all assets and financial interests they may have in America, as well as transactions with American citizens and businesses, are blocked. Individuals in the US are prohibited from financial transactions with sanctioned persons and businesses and if they violate this - they may be subject to sanctions themselves.
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