Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Western Balkans

On June 26, 2001, by Executive Order 13219, the President declared a national emergency with respect to the Western Balkans pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions of persons engaged in, or assisting, sponsoring, or supporting, (i) extremist violence in the former Republic of Macedonia (what is now the Republic of North Macedonia) and elsewhere in the Western Balkans region, or (ii) acts obstructing implementation of the Dayton Accords in Bosnia or United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999, in Kosovo. The President subsequently amended that order in Executive Order 13304 of May 28, 2003, to take additional steps with respect to certain actions that obstruct implementation of, among other things, the Ohrid Framework Agreement of 2001 relating to the former Republic of Macedonia (what is now the Republic of North Macedonia). On June 8, 2021, the President signed Executive Order 14033, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219, as amended, finding that the situation in the territory of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Albania (the Western Balkans), over the past two decades, including the undermining of post-war agreements and institutions following the breakup of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as widespread corruption within various governments and institutions in the Western Balkans, stymies progress toward effective and democratic governance and full integration into transatlantic institutions, and thereby constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. On January 8, 2025, the President signed Executive Order 14140, in view of events in the Western Balkans, including continued attempts by individuals to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Western Balkans nations, to undermine post-war agreements and institutions, to engage in significant corruption that erodes the rule of law and trust in democratic governance, and to evade United States Government sanctions, and in order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency with respect to the Western Balkans. The actions of persons threatening the peace and international stabilization efforts in the Western Balkans, including acts of extremist violence and obstructionist activity, and the situation in the Western Balkans, which stymies progress toward effective and democratic governance and full integration into transatlantic institutions, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219, under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13304, which was expanded in scope in Executive Order 14033, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 14140, must continue in effect beyond June 26, 2026. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219 with respect to the Western Balkans. This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.