A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged the administration of US President Donald Trump to reinstate sanctions against Republika Srpska officials, which were lifted in October 2025. The request came after the start of the interrogation of collaborators of the Potocari Memorial Center, who had been working on a report on genocide denial.
US lawmakers expressed concern over the questioning of employees and associates of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, klix.ba reports. They called for the implementation of the US defense law, which provides for sanctions against persons who threaten security, stability, or territorial integrity in the Western Balkans.
The request was supported by influential senators and congressmen from both parties, including Jeanne Shaheen, Roger Wicker, Chuck Grassley, Dick Durbin, Bill Keating and Mike Turner. The White House and the State Department have not yet provided official comment on the matter. According to reports, relations between Washington and Banja Luka have undergone major changes.
The US earlier lifted sanctions against Milorad Dodik and his associates, while the Republika Srpska authorities have increased lobbying activities in Washington.
Former Biden administration official Jim O’Brien criticized the current US approach to the Balkans, saying that political rapprochement with RS authorities risks minimizing the memory of wartime violence and the genocide in Srebrenica. In addition to the issue of sanctions, there is also uncertainty surrounding the appointment of a new high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Analysts warn that political instability could also affect important economic projects and strategic American investments in the region. /Telegraph