The government in Serbia is taking the opportunity to crack down on non-governmental organizations that have been exposing corruption, violations of the law, and human rights abuses for years

The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office (VJT) in Belgrade announced today that the reason for the police raid on four civil society organizations was allegations made by the highest U.S. government officials regarding USAID, related to the misuse of funds, possible money laundering, and the misallocation of U.S. taxpayers’ money in Serbia.

At a press conference, the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, Nenad Stefanović, stated that assistance was requested from the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain documentation that could serve as evidence in criminal proceedings in Serbia against NGOs.

He emphasized that there are grounds for suspicion regarding the legality of USAID fund spending, citing the “excessive concentration of funds in the accounts of several NGOs,” a “non-transparent grant allocation process,” and the “absence of comprehensive financial reports.”

Since 2000, the United States, through USAID and other agencies, has provided over a billion dollars in development aid to Serbia. The majority of these funds have ended up in the budget of the Republic of Serbia and have been managed by the ruling political majority through state institutions.

In 2024 alone, Serbia received $40,144,406 from USAID, with most of the money allocated to the state budget. Civil society organizations and independent media received the least funding.

USAID’s direct donations to Serbian state institutions include:

• $10 million to the Government of Serbia for the “Better Energy” project,
• $9.8 million for judicial reforms,
• $9 million in COVID-19 pandemic aid,
• $8.5 million for the “Accountable Governance” project, which helped develop the five-year strategic plans for the State Audit Institution and the Anti-Corruption Agency.

It is also important to note that no investigations are being conducted in the United States against any of these NGOs.

It is clear that the investigation by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade is not related to USAID or the use of donations by civil society organizations. Instead, the Serbian government is using USAID as a pretext to exert financial pressure and control over organizations that have long exposed and proven abuses in Serbia’s public procurement system, violations of laws, and electoral rights of citizens. These organizations have already been targeted by continuous smear campaigns.

Of particular concern is the unconstitutional police search of the offices of Civic Initiatives, carried out without a proper court warrant, based on a malicious interpretation of a law that does not apply in this case.

This demonstrates how the authorities are openly abusing state resources to crack down on those who expose corruption and abuses of power.

Instead of accusing these organizations of misusing USAID donations, relevant institutions should investigate how phantom NGOs, which have received state funding, have spent their money—especially since there is evidence of such misuse. The fact remains that for the past two years, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office has failed to act on reports against these organizations. It has also ignored the issue of how money was distributed for voter mobilization through the call center of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party or how pro-government media outlets spend state-funded grants.

Furthermore, the institutions responsible for allocating these grants are legally obliged to disclose financial reports upon request, yet they refuse to do so. It is evident that laws in Serbia do not apply equally to all.

We demand an immediate end to the harassment of civil society organizations through the misuse of state institutions.

We call on the government to stop orchestrating smear campaigns through pro-government tabloids and to investigate those who truly mismanage public funds—including all other resources allocated through state institutions.

Signatories:

• Association of Media (AM)
• Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)
• Association of Online Media (AOM)
• Autonomous Women’s Center (AŽC)
• Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCBP)
• Belgrade Centre for Human Rights (BCLJP)
• Center for Contemporary Politics (CSP)
• European Movement in Serbia (EPUS)
• Fund B92
• Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation (SĆF)
• Civic Initiatives (GI)
• Branch Trade Union for Culture, Art, and Media “Independence”
• Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR)
• Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
• Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV)
• Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
• Partners Serbia
• Business Association for Local and Independent Media “Lokal Pres”
• Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and Environment (RERI)
• SHARE Foundation
• Serbian Philanthropic Forum

Belgrade, February 25, 2025