US Congressman Asks Rubio to Sanction Four Businessmen Linked to Vucic Ahead of Serbia Election

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson has submitted a request to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for sanctions against four Serbian businessmen with close ties to the country's current government, according to a letter seen by RFE/RL.

The proposed measures target Ivan Bosnjak and Stojan Vujko of Millennium Team, Davor Macura of Alta Bank, and Zeljko Mitrovic, the owner of Pink TV. The request, dated October 14, calls for the four men to be barred from traveling to the United States and from accessing the US financial system.

Wilson wrote the letter in his capacity as co-chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, known as the US Helsinki Commission. The letter accuses the four men of using public resources for personal enrichment and describes them as associates of Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's former president and its dominant political figure for more than a decade.

"They sustain his corrupt regime, have worked to undermine US interests in the country and the region, and are actively involved in rigging the October 25 election," the letter says, referring to Serbia's upcoming parliamentary elections. The request alleges that Bosnjak and Vujko received "multiple corrupt government and Chinese contracts that ensure Western business, including American business, are pushed out of the country in favor of cronyism." It also claims Alta Bank was "involved in the money laundering side of the business, while Pink TV consolidates the media and serves as the propaganda outlet."

Millennium Team and Alta Bank rejected the allegations as false in responses to RFE/RL. Alta Bank categorically denied involvement in money laundering, corruption, misuse of public resources, or electoral interference, saying it operates under the supervision of the National Bank of Serbia and that its compliance systems have been confirmed through internal and external audits. Millennium Team said it operates "transparently and in accordance with the law" and would pursue legal remedies over unfounded claims. Mitrovic did not directly address the claims, instead pointing to an Instagram post in which he congratulated the United States ahead of Independence Day.

None of Bosnjak, Vujko, or Macura, nor their companies, are currently subject to international sanctions. Mitrovic, however, was previously placed under US and European Union sanctions over his ties to the regime of the late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in custody at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia while on trial for war crimes.

The snap elections are seen as the most uncertain yet for Vucic, who resigned as president on September 27 and is seeking to return as prime minister. Having served two presidential terms, he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third. Vucic, who previously served as prime minister from 2014 to 2017, and his Serbian Progressive Party have dominated Serbian politics for the past 14 years. His party did not respond to a request for comment.

The US State Department declined to comment on the matter, citing confidentiality around its correspondence with Congress and visa records. "The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," it said.

Separately, a bipartisan group of US senators urged Serbian authorities to ensure a level playing field ahead of the vote, citing "troubling signs," including reports of unlawful wiretapping of opposition members. The move also follows bills introduced in Congress in August by Wilson and Democrat Bill Keating in the House, and by Republican Chuck Grassley and Democrat Richard Blumenthal in the Senate, proposing sanctions and possible suspension of the US-Serbia Strategic Dialogue, a cooperation framework launched in mid-July covering security, energy, and trade.