The United States is committed to ensuring the stability and security of the Western Balkans, enabling countries in the region to realize their potential as free and prosperous democracies. We are also committed to fighting corruption and demonstrating the benefits of transparent and accountable governance. The United States recognizes that corruption threatens economic fairness, global anti-poverty and development efforts, and democracy itself. Corruption, wherever it occurs, directly undermines the foreign policy, national security, and economic health of the United States and our partners and allies. This is why we are determined to promote accountability and combat impunity for those involved in significant acts of corruption in the Western Balkans and around the world.
As part of this commitment, President Biden today issued an executive order that builds on and expands on previous executive orders, modernizing the Western Balkans sanctions regime by including references to the 2018 Prespa Agreement and to the international residual mechanism for criminal courts. Additionally, the new law provides for sanctions against individuals whose actions destabilize the region by undermining democratic institutions and the rule of law or violating human rights. To better combat corruption networks on a regional scale, Albania was added to the scope of the EO.
The EO also authorizes the imposition of sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for corruption in the region, including misappropriation of public property, expropriation of private property for personal or political gain, or bribery. All property and interests in property of persons designated under this EO who are in or coming to the United States or who are in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from carry out transactions with them. Additionally, individuals sanctioned under this EO are not eligible to enter the United States and are not eligible for a U.S. visa.
Our commitment to promoting democracy, transparency and accountability across the Western Balkans is both unwavering and consistent with the standards that countries in the region must meet to achieve their goals of progress on the European path.
