Serbian authorities officially banned Europride on Tuesday, according to the organisers of the LGBTQIA+ event that would have taken place in the Serbian capital Belgrade on 17 September.
Tensions have run high since Serbian President Aleksander Vucic cancelled the event at the end of August. However, the Serbian pride organisers say they want to fight to use all legal means to reverse the decision. However, according to Vucic, the tensions with Kosovo and high inflation mean that now is not the time for the LGBTQIA+ event.
The EuroPride organisation denounced this discourse and said the government did not have the authority to cancel the march, which has been organised every year since 1992 in different European cities.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović called for a reversal of the ban.
Commissioner Mijatović said that "much stills needs to be done to combat discrimination and hate against LGBTQ+ people" and called for Serbia to be "on the right side of history by enabling a peaceful and safe Europride march next Saturday."
"It is highly regrettable that the Serbian authorities have decided to ban the Europride march scheduled for 17 September. Weeks of uncertainty concerning the holding of this march have sent a wrong message to the public and made space for hateful rhetoric and more threats against LGBTI people, including from religious leaders," said Mijatović.
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"I welcome President’s Vucic recent statement on the importance of recognising and respecting the human rights of LGBTI people and urge the Serbian authorities to ensure that those who will walk for equal human rights and dignity can do so safely. Serbia must respect its human rights obligations and uphold freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression for all, without discrimination."
