As of early 2026, the United States has placed a total of 131 individuals and entities from six Western Balkan states on its sanctions list. These actions are administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a unit operating under the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The sanctions are implemented in response to various concerns, primarily citing suspected connections to organized crime, corruption, or activities deemed detrimental to regional stability. The distribution of these sanctions across the region shows varying levels of focus. Serbia accounts for the highest number of placements with 49 sanctioned parties.
Following this are Kosovo, with 29 individuals or entities listed, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has 26 such designations. North Macedonia has 12, Albania has 8, and Montenegro has 7 listed under the current sanctions regime. The criteria for these designations, which are maintained by OFAC, relate to activities that the U.S.
government believes undermine security or governance in the region. The implementation of these sanctions underscores the U.S. government’s focus on monitoring specific actors and business interests.
The listing process, which is governed by Treasury guidelines, ensures that entities implicated in illicit activities are subject to restrictions. These measures are designed to curb financial support for activities perceived as destabilizing or criminal, thereby maintaining compliance with U.S. foreign policy objectives in the Western Balkans.
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