BELGRADE – Members of the European Parliament, non-governmental organisations and opposition politicians strongly condemned yesterday’s police raid on the premises of several civil society organisations in Belgrade, which was launched to collect pieces of evidence of the alleged misuse of USAID’s funds. They pointed out in press releases and posts on X that such action is interpreted as a continuation of the repression of the Serbian authorities against the civil sector.
Following the order of the Higher Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, the police entered the premises of NGOs Civic Initiatives, CRTA, Trag Foundation, and the Center for Practical Policy on 25 February. The prosecution ordered that all documents regarding the donations from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) be taken from the NGOs.
According to the statement of the Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation was motivated by statements from US officials regarding the misuse of USAID funds and possible money laundering in Serbia. The Prosecutor’s Office did not state which exact claims it was referring to.
In a reaction to these developments, Alessandra Moretti, an Italian member of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the EP and Vice Chair of the EP Delegation for Serbia, stated that this was an intimidation by government authorities towards important NGOs.
“Peaceful protests continue for a Serbia freer from corruption and based solidly on the rule of law. We are monitoring episodes of intimidation by government authorities towards important NGOs including CRTA. Repression is not compatible with democracy”, Moretti wrote on X.
Peaceful protests continue for a #Serbia freer from corruption and based solidly on the rule of law. We are monitoring episodes of intimidation by government authorities towards important NGOs including @CRTArs. Repression is not compatible with democracy. @TheProgressives
— Alessandra Moretti (@ale_moretti) February 26, 2025
Similarly, a Slovenian Matjaž Nemec, also a member of the S &D group in the European Parliament, remarked that “the escalation of repressive measures against CSO by Serbian authorities is alarming”.
“Targeting NGOs like CRTA, a long-standing advocate for transparency and democratic culture, is textbook repression. Silencing full streets of critical voices is both impossible and undemocratic”, Nemec stated on X.
According to Thijs Reuten, a Dutch member of the S &D group in the EP, “Unless the EU steps up now, the Vučić regime will continue its crackdown on fundamental freedoms and civil society”.
Amnesty International yesterday described the case as a “Trump effect”.
“The targeting of these NGOs is a blatant act of intimidation & the latest in a persistent campaign by Serbian authorities to silence critical voices”, Amnesty International wrote on X.
Civil Rights Defenders also issued a statement on X, saying that “the intimidation of the NGO sector by the Serbian government continues with police raids on offices of USAID-supported organisations”.
“This is an alarming attack on the civil society in Serbia. We stand in solidarity with those being targeted”, the statement reads.
The intimidation of the NGO sector by the Serbian government continues with police raids on offices of USAID-supported organisations. This is an alarming attack on the civil society in #Serbia. We stand in solidarity with those being targeted. #HumanRights #FreedomOfSpeech
— Civil Rights Defenders (@crdefenders) February 25, 2025
In Serbia, Belgrade Open School noted that “the audit of the financial operations of all legal entities in Serbia, and therefore civil society organisations, can be carried out unhindered in accordance with the existing regulations, without an inappropriate show of force and exertion of pressure”.
“Of particular concern is the orchestrated media campaign that accompanies this investigation, which aims to discredit the work of civil society organisations in public due to the very cooperation with USAID. We believe that it is important to remind that the largest recipient of USAID donations is the state authorities of the Republic of Serbia,” the Belgrade Open School states.
The raid was also condemned by the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) as well.
“We believe that this action.. was politically motivated in order to intimidate and pressure organizations and individuals who are critical of decisions and actions of the authorities. At a time when citizens across Serbia are taking to the streets demanding respect for the law and accountability of institutions, such investigations send a message that instead of advocating for the establishment of dialogue, the Government decides to intimidate and try to suppress the critical voice,” the NCEU said in a statement.
Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, Freedom and Justice Party and the People’s Movement of Serbia, also condemned the decision.
According to Pavle Grbović, President of the opposition party Free Citizens Movement, following the arrest of opposition activists, “repression continues against civil society organisations”.
In a similar vein, the opposition Green-Left Front stated that it expected the police and the Security and Information Agency to launch a raid on the Government of Serbia, the Serbian Parliament, the Supreme Court and all ministries that made use of the USAID funds”.