BELGRADE – Serbian police entered the offices of four civil society organizations (CSOs) this morning to collect information on the possible misuse of USAID funds, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade stated. This institution confirmed it had formed a case based on the claims of several officials of the United States that USAID funds had been misused worldwide. CSOs accused the state of “attacking basic civic rights and a continuation of an unlawful pressure on the civil society in Serbia”.
The launch of the investigation follows weeks of public statements by the highest Serbian officials, including President Aleksandar Vučić, that USAID was involved in funding a “coloured revolution” in Serbia, referring to the ongoing student protests. Before the suspension of USAID, Serbian officials closely cooperated with the Agency, often lauding its contribution to the economic development of Serbia.
Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade announced this morning that it had formed a case and had contacted the United States Department of Justice to provide the necessary information regarding “the suspicions of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that the top US government officials previously expressed regarding the misuse of funds, possible money laundering and the misuse of US taxpayer funds in Serbia”. MORE