**State Bodies Also Got USAID Funding**
A high-ranking official from Transparency Serbia has spoken out against the recent raids on democracy watchdog NGOs. Nemanja Nenadic said that state bodies, not just non-governmental organizations (NGOs), received funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Belgrade police raided 4 NGOs last week under orders from prosecutors investigating alleged misuse of USAID funds. However, it was revealed that one of these NGOs did not even receive any USAID funding.
Nenadic pointed out that state bodies in Serbia have received American funding. “We all know that various state bodies got American funding,” he said. He also questioned why the prosecution is seeking information from the US administration instead of the other way around.
The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecution sent a request to the US Justice Department for more information about claims made by US officials about the misuse of USAID funds in Serbia and other countries.