Department of Treasury designates director of Serbian Security Intelligence Agency

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned an individual in Serbia. In a statement, the Department of Treasury says the designation of Aleksandar Vulin (Vulin) underscores the United States’ determination to hold accountable those engaged in corrupt dealings that further their own political agendas and personal interests at the expense of peace and stability in the Western Balkans. According to the Treasury, these corrupt dealings facilitate Russian malign activities in Serbia and the region.

“Treasury will not hesitate to target actors that abuse their positions for personal gain while undermining effective and democratic governance in the Western Balkans,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson. “Today’s action holds accountable Aleksander Vulin for his corrupt and destabilizing acts that have also facilitated Russia’s malign activities in the region,” the statement reads.

OFFICIAL USING HIS POSITION OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE FOR PERSONAL AND PARTY GAIN

According to the US Department of Treasury, Aleksandar Vulin (Vulin) has been implicated in transnational organized crime, illegal narcotics operations, and misuse of public office. Vulin has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with U.S.-designated Serbian arms dealer Slobodan Tesic, helping ensure that Tesic’s illegal arms shipments can move freely across Serbia’s borders.

Vulin’s acts have advanced corruption within Serbia’s governing institutions. These acts include leveraging his authority for personal gain, including involvement in a drug trafficking ring.  He has used his public positions to support Russia, facilitating Russia’s malign activities that degrade the security and stability of the Western Balkans and providing Russia a platform to further its influence in the region. Vulin is the Director of Serbia’s Security Information Agency, and previously served as Minister of Defense and Minister of the Interior. These institutions are not the targets of these sanctions.

OFAC is designating Vulin pursuant to E.O. 14033 for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or otherwise related to a government in the Western Balkans, or a current or former government official at any level of government in the Western Balkans, such as the misappropriation of public assets, expropriation of private assets for personal gain or political purposes, or bribery.