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Gabriel Escobar, DASH’s special envoy for the Western Balkans, in a statement to Top Channel on Thursday, hinted that a new wave of sanctions following the announcement of other ‘non grata’ persons was approaching.
And not even three days passed. Two other names came out on Monday afternoon. Unlike the decision for Sali Berisha’s family in May 2021, the determination of sanctions against two Albanian citizens came this time from the Treasury Department. Aqif Rakipi and Ylli Ndroqi are on the list of 7 people under economic sanctions, along with politicians and businessmen from the Western Balkans.
Sanctions include any property or interest in the property of a person subject to sanction that is or is related to the United States or is either owned or controlled by a person in the United States. These properties must be blocked and reported to the US Treasury.
But for the former PDIU MP, Aqif Rakipi and Ylli Ndroqin, owner of “Radio Television Ora News”, more severe than the punishments, were the determinations made public by the American state.
Aqif Rakipi (Rakipi) is a notorious former MP from Elbasan, Albania, who has a detrimental and destabilizing influence on the political process in Albania. Numerous organized crime groups in Albania have offered money, gifts or promises of jobs or concessions in exchange for votes for their favorite political party. Rakipi has long been involved in organized crime and is closely associated with an Organized Crime Group, within which he has exercised political influence, including through corruption. For example, Rakipi has used his political influence to appoint his friends to key public positions in Elbasan and Tirana. Rakipi lost his mandate as a member of the Albanian parliament after prosecutors confirmed his role in criminal activity under a pseudonym.
Aqif Rakipi is designated under Executive Order 14033 because he has been responsible or collaborating in or for direct or indirect involvement in corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or affiliated with a government in the Western Balkans.
Ylli Ndroqi, owner of “Radio Television Ora News” is the second in a row in the list of Albania, but the first honor probably, not the last media owner who can be punished with sanctions by the US Government. The description of the punishment by the treasury department, for him, was also harsh.
Ylli Ndroqi is a media owner whose assets were seized by the Albanian government in 2020 and 2021 for previous criminal activities. Ndroqi has used the media that were previously under his control to extort and blackmail Albanian citizens through demands for money and purchase of advertisements in exchange for not publishing negative articles in the media.
The text about Ylli Ndroqi, as well as about Aqif Rakipi, is included in concrete accusations.
Ndroqi also mediated bribes on behalf of an entity seeking to do business in Albania. Ndroqi is designated under EXECUTIVE ORDER 14033 because he has been responsible or collaborating in or for direct or indirect involvement in corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or affiliated with a government in the Western Balkans, or a current or past government official, at any level of government in the Western Balkans.
PURSUANT to this executive order, all members of their families, from today, in addition to not being allowed to enter the territory of the United States, are placed under economic sanctions. “The individuals appointed today pose a serious threat to regional stability, trust in institutions and the aspirations of those seeking democratic and sound governance in the Western Balkans,” said Brian E. Nelson, Under-Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
“The fight against corruption around the world, Nelson said, is a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration and the Treasury will not hesitate to use all available means to hold corrupt and destabilizing actors accountable.””.
Other economically and financially sanctioned individuals are Asim Sarajlic, a Bosnian MP, Gordana Tadic, the former Bosnian chief prosecutor, Nikola Gruevski, the former prime minister of northern Macedonia, Sasha Mihajlov, the former head of Skopje’s secret services, and Svetozar Marovic. the last former president of serbia montenegro, until 2006.
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