Biden extends Western Balkans executive order

(Patria) - Joe Biden, President of the United States, has extended the emergency measures for the Western Balkans region by one year.

The White House statement noted that parties threatening peace and stabilization efforts in the Western Balkans pose a threat to U.S. foreign policy, Voice of America reports.

- Actions that threaten peace and international efforts to stabilize the situation in the Western Balkans, including violence and activities that hinder progress towards effective and democratic governance and full integration into transatlantic institutions, pose an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States - it was specified in the statement on the extension of the executive order.

It was also stated that on June 26, 2001, by executive order number 13219, the then administration declared emergency measures in the Western Balkans region – in accordance with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

This was, as indicated, implemented as a way to address threats to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

- Persons who aid, sponsor, or support violence in the former Macedonia, now North Macedonia, as well as other parts of the region, and activities that obstruct the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina or UN Security Council Resolution 1244 adopted on June 10, 1999 - the statement said.

It was pointed out that the content of the executive order was amended in 2003, to implement additional steps regarding the obstruction of the implementation of the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement towards North Macedonia.

In addition, in June 2021, the executive order's scope was expanded to the national level.

It was then specified that the situation in the former Yugoslavia and Albania over the past two decades, including the undermining of post-war agreements and institutions after the country's breakup, as well as widespread corruption in governments and institutions in the Balkans, hinders progress towards effective and democratic governance.

- Full integration into transatlantic institutions has also been hampered, which poses a threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States - the White House statement said.