Several NGOs co-operating with USAID in Serbia

Following charges by the director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for misuse of funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the prosecution in Belgrade reportedly has launched investigations into certain non-governmental organisations.

On Tuesday 25 February, Serbian police, acting on orders from the special Department for Combating Corruption of the Office of the High Public Prosecutor in Belgrade, have raided the offices of several NGOs for, as it has been said, collecting evidence of possible misuse of U fundsAID, reports Serbia's Radio Television (RTS).

It is learned that investigations are being handled by NGOs called the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accounting (CRTA), and the Citizens Initiatives Association.

Police have not answered Balkan Radio Europe Free Radio questions about the action.

A day earlier, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has said Serbia will assist the FBI in its investigations about funding Serbian NGOs from U.AID and the National Foundation for Democracy (NED).

“No doubt we will co-operate closely with the FBI on this issue”, Vuciq told Happy television, adding that the FBI will receive whatever information it needs from Serbia.

The NGO Citizen Initiative announced, to include a media communique, that police have entered its offices on February 25th.

This morning, about 20 police officials have raided the offices of the Civic Initiatives, saying they have orders from the prosecutor to investigate the organisation's work, but did not want to show the document”, the communiqué said.

This NGO added that police have raided the Centre for Practice Policy, an organisation that, according to it, has not had any project with USAID.

This is a serious attack on basic civic rights and continuing illegal pressure on civil society in Serbia. The governing structures are trying to implement fear mechanisms and prosecution, without approval of the Law on Foreign Agents”, the Qytatar Initiatives said in the NGO communiqué.

American President Donald Trump has limited the work of USAID, ordering a 90-day freeze on its spending on 24 January.

The US presidential administration is considering the introduction of USAID under the State Department umbrella, as part of a major reshuffle that would reduce the number of employees.

Since Trump's return to the White House, his administration and close relatives have repeatedly called USAID “criminal organisation”.

U nAID was founded in 1961, with the aim of better co-ordinating American aid distribution abroad.

According to recent figures, it has about 10,000 employees, two-thirds of whom work outside the US. In fiscal year 2023, USAID distributed aid worth $43.79 billion. / REL/