Those acting against the Prespa Agreement even in countries outside the Western Balkans, including Greece, could be blacklisted by the United States, a State Department spokesperson has told VOA in response to a question on whether Biden’s administration planned to expand sanctions to persons from other countries, specifically Greece, which is a signatory to the Prespa Agreement and is thus subject to certain obligations in its implementation.
“Execitive order 14033 allows sanctions against those who undermine the stability of the Western Balkans, wherever they are, provided they meet the relevant targeting criteria,” the U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
Earlier this week, the spokesperson also told VOA that decisions to add new names to the blacklist were “subject to a careful, disciplined process, and apply only in the most serious cases.”
Asked whether Biden’s executive order also includes citizens who publicly oppose the Prespa Agreement on social media, the spokesperson has said that the intention of the United States is not to prevent individuals from expressing their views, adding that the United States encourages strong discussion and debate among citizens globally and in the Western Balkans.
He has stressed that “the executive order is a tool to target those who undermine the stability of the Western Balkans, and helps strengthen the foundations for peace, security and stability in the region.”
“An executive order refers to actions that undermine democratic processes, attempts to violate, obstruct or threaten the implementation of international peace treaties, engage in serious human rights abuses, or corruption, among other,” the spokesperson told VOA.
Earlier this month, United States President Joseph Biden signed an executive order that expands the range of emergency measures in the Western Balkans, including the blocking of property and suspending the entry into the U.S. of certain persons acting against the Prespa Agreement and the Ohrid Framework Agreement and their implementation, undermining peace and regional cooperation.
