It’s good to understand the reasoning behind sanctions programs – once you get past the ones you kind of know by heart, like the Iranian and terrorism programs. One good reason is that we’re responsible for adding to the SDN list when we hear of someone or some entity that meets the definition of the program.
Let’s start with the name of the sanctions program in the sanctions flyer: Blocking Property of Persons Who Threaten International Stabilization Efforts in the Western Balkans
Now, the Balkans program (did you even realize we still had one?) goes back to 2001’s Executive Order 13219, and sanctions the following:
(i) the persons listed in the Annex to this order; and
(ii) persons designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, because they are found:
(A) to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace in or diminishing the stability or security of any area or state in the Western Balkans region, undermining the authority, efforts, or objectives of international organizations or entities present in the region, or endangering the safety of persons participating in or providing support to the activities of those international organizations or entities, or
(B) to have actively obstructed, or to pose a significant risk of actively obstructing, implementation of the Dayton Accords in Bosnia or United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 in Kosovo, or
(C) materially to assist in, sponsor, or provide financial or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, such acts of violence or obstructionism, or
(D) to be owned or controlled by, or acting or purporting to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of, any of the foregoing persons,
This was then modified by Executive 13304 in 2003 to read:
(A) to be under open indictment by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, unless circumstances warrant otherwise, or
(B) to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace in or diminishing the stability or security of any
area or state in the Western Balkans region, undermining the authority, efforts, or objectives of international organizations or entities present in the region, or endangering the safety of persons participating in or providing support to the activities of those international organizations or entities, or
(C) to have actively obstructed, or pose a significant risk of actively obstructing, the Ohrid Framework Agreement of 2001 relating to Macedonia, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 relating to Kosovo, or the Dayton Accords or the Conclusions of the Peace Implementation Conference held in London on December 8-9, 1995, including the decisions or conclusions of the High Representative, the Peace Implementation Council or its Steering Board, relating to Bosnia and Herzegovina, or
(D) to have materially assisted in, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, such acts of violence or obstructionism or any person listed in or designated pursuant to this order, or
(E) to be owned or controlled by, or acting or purporting to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of, any person listed in or designated pursuant to this order,
that are or hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.