Serbian gay rights march gets go ahead
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Despite last year’s controversial move to ban the gay pride march, the Serbian government has decided that it will go ahead in Belgrade this year.
Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Čiplić is quoted in the Večernje Novosti daily as saying that it was a mistake banning the march last year as “only hooligans gained from that.”
Belgrade authorities cancelled last September’s planned march after threats were made by extremist right-wing organizations to disrupt the equal rights demonstration. Posters saying, “We’re expecting you” were plastered around the Serbian capital in an effort to deter and intimidate those planning to march.
Anticipating similar problems and in order to kick-start preparations early, Minister Čiplić said that the government had already met with gay rights organisations. He said: "The plan is to prepare the public and the organisers themselves in time.”
Dragana Vuckovic of Labris, a Lesbian rights organisation in Belgrade, welcomed the news. "I think it is very important that talks on the issue have started early,” she said.
NGOs in Serbia and the rest of Europe criticised last year’s decision to cancel the gay pride march. Following EU pressure, the Serbian National Assembly passed the anti-discrimination law last March. The law bans acts of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
