Several NGOs that cooperated with USAID in Serbia are raided

2025-02-25 17:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The High Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade has announced that it has opened a case regarding suspicions of misuse of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds by several non-governmental organizations in Serbia.

The Serbian prosecution confirmed that on Tuesday, February 25, police began "collecting information" about the work of four NGOs: the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), Civic Initiatives, the Center for Practical Politics, and the Trag Foundation.

"In order to verify the allegations and gather evidence regarding the suspicions of misuse of USAID funds, misuse of funds and possible money laundering, the Special Department for Combating Corruption has requested the Police to collect the necessary information," said Chief Public Prosecutor Nenad Štefanovi?.

He added that "for now" the release of all documents related to USAID donations from the four NGOs has been ordered, as well as the questioning of the responsible persons.

CRTA and Civic Initiatives have confirmed that the Police raided their offices on the morning of February 25th.

The Serbian authorities' action came after US President Donald Trump restricted the work of USAID, ordering a 90-day freeze on its spending, on January 24, ahead of an audit of the agency, which was founded in 1961 with the aim of better coordinating the distribution of US aid abroad.

Since Trump's return to the White House, his administration and people close to him have repeatedly called USAID a "criminal organization."

Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? has said that Serbia will assist the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its investigations into the funding of Serbian NGOs by USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

"Without a doubt, we will cooperate closely with the FBI on this matter," Vucic told Happy TV, adding that the FBI will receive whatever information it needs from Serbia.

"Serious attack on civil rights"

The Civic Initiatives Association announced, through a press release, that the police entered its offices on February 25th.

"This morning, around 20 police officers raided the offices of Civic Initiatives, saying they had an order from the prosecutor's office to investigate the organization's work, but they did not want to show the document," the statement said.

This association added that the police also raided the Center for Practical Politics, an organization that, according to it, did not have any projects with USAID.

"This is a serious attack on fundamental civil rights and a continuation of illegal pressure on civil society in Serbia. The governing structures are trying to implement mechanisms of intimidation and persecution, without the adoption of the Law on Foreign Agents," the Civic Initiatives association said in a statement.

The other NGO, CRTA, while confirming the raid on its offices, claimed that it is "fully cooperating with government authorities. Our question now is how the tabloids published this information before the police came to our offices."

The Role of USAID
After the US president limited the work of USAID, the US presidential administration is considering bringing the agency under the umbrella of the State Department, as part of a major reorganization that would reduce the number of employees.

According to the latest figures, USAID has about 10,000 employees, two-thirds of whom work outside the US.

In fiscal year 2023, USAID distributed $43.79 billion in aid.

The largest aid recipients in 2023 were Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria./ REL