Despite protests and criticism, Serbia is implementing the President’s decision and banning the planned parade of the European LGBTQ movement. The organizers want to lodge a complaint.
Anti-LGBTQ demonstrators protest the parade in Belgrade.
(dpa) The Serbian Interior Ministry has banned the Europride parade planned for next Saturday in the Serbian capital Belgrade. There is a high risk that the safety of the participants and other citizens cannot be guaranteed, the state news agency Tanjug reported, citing the ministry. Further details were not disclosed.
Pride parades, in which participants demonstrate for the rights of homosexuals and other members of the LGBTQ community, have been held in Belgrade since 2014 without incident. Almost a month ago, however, Serbia’s powerful President Aleksandar Vucic declared that this year’s Pride had to be canceled or postponed for security reasons.
Vucic justified this with the tense situation surrounding neighboring Kosovo, which used to belong to Serbia and has been independent since 2008. Serbia does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, which is now almost exclusively inhabited by Albanians. After road blockades by ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo at the beginning of August, however, the situation calmed down again.
Europride coordinator Goran Miletic said Tuesday evening in Belgrade that the parade will take place despite the decision of the Interior Ministry. The organizers would appeal against the decision. If the complaint is not upheld, they will take legal action.
Several MEPs and European politicians are also expected to attend Europride. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked the Serbian government at the end of the previous month to allow the parade. The federal government’s queer commissioner, Sven Lehmann, appealed to Serbia on Monday to allow the Europride parade to take place and to protect it accordingly.