By José Carlos Palma *
On July 11, 2023, the United States imposed sanctions on Aleksandar Vulin, the head of Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency (BIA). The sanctions were imposed due to Vulin’s alleged ties to Russia and organized crime.
The US Treasury Department said that Vulin “has materially contributed to the Government of the Russian Federation’s efforts to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” The Treasury Department also said that Vulin “has provided financial support to, and maintained an asset freeze on, individuals and entities blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024.”
E.O. 14024 is an executive order that was signed by President Biden on February 24, 2022, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The order prohibits US persons from engaging in certain transactions with people and entities in Russia.
Vulin has denied the allegations against him and has said that the sanctions are politically motivated. He has said that he has never worked for Russia or any other foreign government.
The sanctions against Vulin are the latest in a series of measures that the United States has taken to pressure Serbia to distance itself from Russia. In recent months, the United States has also imposed sanctions on several Serbian officials and companies and has warned Serbia that it could face additional sanctions if it does not cooperate with the US on sanctions against Russia.
Serbia has been a traditional ally of Russia, but it has been under increasing pressure from the West to align itself with the United States and the European Union. In recent years, Serbia has taken some steps to distance itself from Russia, such as voting in favor of Ukraine’s membership in the United Nations. However, Serbia has also resisted calls to impose sanctions on Russia.
The sanctions against Vulin are a significant escalation of the US pressure on Serbia. It remains to be seen how Serbia will respond to the sanctions.
The Background of Aleksandar Vulin
Aleksandar Vulin is a Serbian politician who has served as the Minister of the Interior since 2014 and as the head of the BIA since 2022. He is a member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which is the ruling party in Serbia.
Vulin is a controversial figure who has been accused of being a nationalist and a Russophile. He has been vocal in his support for Russia and has criticized the United States and the European Union. In 2017, he said that Serbia would never join NATO and that it would always be a friend of Russia.
Vulin has also been accused of corruption. In 2018, he was indicted by the Serbian prosecutor’s office on charges of abuse of office. He was acquitted of the charges in 2020.
The Allegations Against Aleksandar Vulin
The US Treasury Department alleges that Vulin has provided financial support to individuals and entities in Russia who are sanctioned by the United States. The Treasury Department also alleges that Vulin has provided information to the Russian government about Serbian officials who are opposed to Russia.
Vulin has denied the allegations against him and has said that he has never worked for Russia or any other foreign government. He has said that the sanctions are politically motivated and that they are meant to pressure Serbia to impose sanctions on Russia.
The Response of Serbia
The Serbian government has condemned the sanctions against Vulin and has called them “unjustified.” The government has said that the sanctions are an attempt to interfere in Serbia’s internal affairs and that they will not deter Serbia from pursuing its independent foreign policy.
The Serbian government has also said that it will not impose sanctions on Russia. The government has said that it is committed to maintaining good relations with both Russia and the United States.
The Implications of the Sanctions
The sanctions against Vulin are a significant escalation of the US pressure on Serbia. The sanctions could have a number of implications for Serbia, including:
- The sanctions could damage Serbia’s economy. The sanctions could make it more difficult for Serbian businesses to do business with US companies.
- The sanctions could damage Serbia’s reputation. The sanctions could make Serbia look like it is not committed to the fight against corruption and organized crime.
- The sanctions could further isolate Serbia from the West. The sanctions could make it more difficult for Serbia to join the European Union or NATO.
It remains to be seen how Serbia will respond to the sanctions. The Serbian government has said that it will not back down from its independent foreign policy. However, the sanctions could put pressure on the government to change its stance on Russia.
* Expert in international relations, such as foreign policy, international trade, domestic security, international security, developing nations, domestic security, intelligence, IT Consultant, world history, political consultant, and military analysis.