Serbia cancels EuroPride parade, citing threats

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced his decision on Saturday to cancel a pan-European LGBTQ Pride march in Belgrade, saying the country is currently facing too many other problems.

The EuroPride event, organized by the European Pride Organizers Association (EPOA), was set to take place September 12 to 18. Belgrade had been chosen to host the parade three years ago.

"This is a violation of minority rights, but at this moment the state is pressured by numerous problems," Vucic said, referring to tensions with neighboring Kosovo, various economic problems and threats from far-right extremists that could result in violence.

Organizers call on PM for support

The announcement was made during the same news conference in which Vucic proposed extending the term of the current prime minister, Ana Brnabic, who identifies as a lesbian.

Brnabic became prime minister in 2017, but has been criticized by LGBTQ groups for not having done enough to support the community in Serbia.

EPOA President Kristine Garina called on Brnabic to stick to her promise of supporting the event, but added that Vucic does not have the authority to ban Pride.

"President Vucic cannot cancel someone else's event," Garina said. "The right to hold Pride has been ruled by the European Court of Human Rights to be a fundamental human right."

Serbian Pride organizer Goran Miletic said the police would have to formally ban the parade, which would then open them up to legal challenges, but they cannot ban indoor events.

"The only thing that can happen is for the police to ban the march,'' Miletic said. "However, such a hypothetical decision would be contrary to the constitution.''

Serbia's anti-LGBTQ lobby

Serbia has taken steps to give protections to LGBTQ individuals while it pursues EU membership. But a large far-right, often pro-Russian sector of society has violently rejected LGBTQ rights, even attacking people based on their gender or sexual identity.

A recent anti-LGBTQ march that was allowed to take place in Belgrade attracted thousands of people.

The influential Serbian Orthodox Church has also previously branded Pride a "disgrace."

Pride marches in the Serbian capital have only been able to go ahead with heavy police protection since a 2010 attack.

The president said: "It's not the question of whether [extremists] are stronger, but you just can't do it all at the same moment, and that's it.''

"I am not happy about it, but we can't manage," he said, suggesting that the parade could be postponed for "happier times."

ab/fb (AP, AFP)