BCSDN strongly condemns the February 25 raids on Civic Initiatives, CRTA, Trag Foundation, the Center for Practical Politics, and KOMS, calling it yet another case of state pressure on independent civil society in Serbia. Conducted without prior notice, search warrants, or official explanation, the raids were reportedly linked to alleged misuse of USAID funds and money laundering—claims first circulated in pro-government media. Authorities ordered financial scrutiny of the organizations, mirroring past targeting of activists’ personal bank accounts. BCSDN calls for an immediate end to state harassment of civil society, urging Serbian authorities to ensure transparency and clarify the legal basis for their actions, while also calling on the EU and international actors to address these developments, as in line with Serbia’s EU accession process. We stand in solidarity with the affected organizations and remain committed to monitoring these threats, aware of their potential to spread across the Western Balkans and further erode the fragile democracies in the region. Read our full reaction here.
