A whopping 27,000 supporters have signed the petition that was delivered to the Serbian government by the organizers of the Belgrade EuroPride, urging President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic to allow EuroPride 2022 to be hosted as previously planned.
Belgrade EuroPride organizers remain firm and say they will gather despite political pressure and a police ban. Organizers stated that have chosen an alternative route for the walk from the Constitutional Court to the Tasmajdan recreation center in Belgrade, where a concert will be performed later.
“We insist that EuroPride be held in the format we predicted; there was not a single incident during the four days [of Pride week]. We have been put in a situation where we have no choice; despite the police ban, we will gather,” Goran Miletic, one of the organizers, said, as quoted by Balkan Insight.
He said that they had once more requested the police for permission to hold a gathering outside on Saturday.
It was revealed on Friday that over 45 NGOs in Serbia have petitioned state organizations to support LGBTIQ+ community members’ right to freedom of assembly.
Right-wing, anti-LGBT organizations had said they would also march through the city on the same day, prompting the government to prohibit the planned march on Tuesday, citing a “risk of violence.” The police also forbade right-wing demonstrations.
Following weeks of anti-LGBT campaigning from right-wing organizations and the Serbian Orthodox Church, the decision was made.
Even though the authorities have also prohibited their rallies, a number of right-wing organizations have also called for protests on Saturday. Several churches have posted calls for people to congregate in front of them on various social media platforms. The primary assembly is expected to amass in front of the sizable St. Sava church in the heart of the city.
Bosko Obradovic, a Serbian lawmaker and the president of the right-wing Dveri party, urged people to be “vigilant” on Wednesday and said that, despite the official prohibition, the unauthorized EuroPride walk may still go place on Saturday.
“We need to be ready to go out again and again for new processions and family walks to defend our children from LGBT propaganda. Their goal is not a gay parade but the re-education of our children, and Christian, family and traditional Serbia must know and prevent that,” Obradovic said.
Obradovic stated on Friday that the holding of EuroPride will demonstrate Serbia’s status as an EU and NATO colony.
Meanwhile, embassies of numerous countries in Serbia showed their support LGBTIQ community on the occasion of EuroPride, and expressed the hope that a solution will be found that will allow a peaceful, legal and safe walk on Saturday, according to a letter of support shared by the Dutch embassy on its Twitter account.
