Tag: serbia gay rights

Watch: Hundreds attend Belgrade’s Pride march in Serbia

Hundreds of Pride activists gathered in the Serbian capital Saturday amid a heavy police presence and anti-gay messages sent by the country’s conservative leadership and far-right groups. Last year, the LGBTQ+ event was marred by skirmishes between the police and anti-Pride groups who believe the event goes against traditional Serbian Christian Orthodox values and should… Read more »

Protesters March in Belgrade Against Planned Gay Pride Event

Belgrade (Reuters) – Thousands of religious and right-wing opponents of a European gay Pride event to be hosted by Belgrade protested through the Serbian capital on Sunday, even though the government has said it would scrap or delay the Pride event. Belgrade is due to host the EuroPride march on Sept. 17, an event staged… Read more »

Serbia’s Vucic Cancels EuroPride Event In Belgrade, But Organizers Vow To Push On

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has canceled the international EuroPride event that was scheduled to be held in Belgrade from September 12-18, while organizers of the event have vowed that it will proceed as planned. At an August 27 press conference in Belgrade, Vucic acknowledged that the rights of sexual minorities are threatened in Serbia but… Read more »

Serbia’s Gay Premier Says Unity Key After Orthodox Bishop Curse

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who is openly gay and has a child with her partner, hit back after an attack by a high-ranking Orthodox cleric against her and the LGBTQ+ community and made a plea for national unity. Nikanor, bishop of Banat, in northern Serbia, last week publicly excoriated Brnabic along with the organizers… Read more »

Serbia Pride: Gay PM Brnabic ‘not wanted’ at parade

It’s the only Balkan country to have an openly gay prime minister – so why are some of Serbia’s LGBT activists determined to keep PM Ana Brnabic away from Gay Pride? When Ms Brnabic was appointed last year, hopes were high in the LGBT community: not only was she the first woman to head the… Read more »

Serbia Pride: Gay PM Brnabic ‘not wanted’ at parade

It’s the only Balkan country to have an openly gay prime minister – so why are some of Serbia’s LGBT activists determined to keep PM Ana Brnabic away from Gay Pride? When Ms Brnabic was appointed last year, hopes were high in the LGBT community: not only was she the first woman to head the… Read more »

Serbia’s First Openly Gay Prime Minister Attends Belgrade Pride March

Serbia’s first-ever openly gay prime minister joined gay activists Sunday at a pride march held amid tight security in the conservative Balkan country. Belgrade, Serbia — Serbia’s first openly gay prime minister joined several hundred gay activists Sunday at a gay pride march that was held amid tight security in the conservative Balkan country. Holding… Read more »

Serbia’s gay PM is first in region to attend pride parade

The prime minister of Serbia has become the first head of government in a Balkan country to take part in a gay pride march. Ana Brnabic is the first gay person, as well as the first woman, to lead Serbia. Gay pride parades in the country have not always gone ahead. Seven years ago, more… Read more »

Serbia’s openly gay Prime Minister says her sexuality has never been an issue

Serbia’s out Prime Minister Ana Brnabic insists her sexuality has never been an issue in the country. Ms Brnabic was appointed as the country’s PM by Serbia’s conservative President Aleksandar Vucic, making her one of three out leaders in office around the world today. The other two openly gay leaders, Ireland’s Leo Varadkar and Luxembourg’s… Read more »

Serbia will have two pride parades this year after LGBT community is divided

There will be two pride parades this year in Serbia after division amongst the LGBT Community. Three Serbian LGBT organisations are organising a parade for June 24 separate from the traditional Pride held in Belgrade in September. The organisations claim that Belgrade Pride does not focus on the needs of the community. One Pride will… Read more »

Serbian President Nominates Gay Woman As PM In Balkan First

Serbia’s president has nominated Ana Brnabic as the country’s next prime minister, making her the first openly gay premier in the Balkan region and the first Serbian woman in the top job. “I decided to propose Ana Brnabic as prime minister-designate to the parliament of Serbia,” President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters. Brnabic’s government needs formal… Read more »

Belgrade Pride goes off without incident despite fears of extremist attack

A Pride parade in Serbia’s capital went off without incident today, with the theme ‘Love Heals the World’ Thousands of police lined the streets today in Belgrade for fear that the parade would be attacked by extremists, as has happened in the past. As well as police on the ground being deployed hours in advance… Read more »

Serbia’s First Gay Minister Wants Less Public Attention

The woman slated to become the first openly gay government minister in highly conservative Serbia said Tuesday she hopes public attention surrounding her election will soon fade so she can focus on her new job. Ana Brnabic, who is expected to become the minister of public administration and local government, told The Associated Press that… Read more »

Hundreds Stage Gay-Pride Parade In Belgrade

Hundreds of people have staged a gay-pride parade in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. Hundreds of riot police were deployed in the city center on September 20, with several armored and water cannon vehicles parked at main crossings in the downtown area where roads have been closed to traffic since the early morning. Threats of disruption… Read more »

Serbian officer forced to retire after coming out as transgender

An activist group in Serbian has submitted a complaint after it says a transgender veteran officer in the country’s military was forcibly retired after coming out as transgender. According to activist group Egal’s complaint, the officer, identified only as Helena, was forced to retire after a “psychiatric diagnosis” deemed that her being trans could “threaten… Read more »

Cops Outnumber Marchers in Belgrade Gay Pride Parade

Some things are the same at gay pride parades everywhere — rainbow flags, colorful balloons, music pumping from the sound systems, everyone singing and dancing. In Belgrade, though, the parade today had an unusual accompaniment. Thousands of Serbian police officers in full gear with water cannons and armored personnel carriers sealed off capital’s sunny downtown,… Read more »

Serbia: Belgrade Pride cancelled due to flooding

Belgrade Pride, which is usually banned due to threats of violence, was instead this year cancelled due to flooding. The event, which often leads to confrontations between anti-gay groups, police and marchers, has been officially banned every year since 2010. The 2010 parade was marred by violent stand-offs, and around 100 people were injured at… Read more »

LGBT in the Balkans: “Two steps forward and one step back”

Dutch MEP Marije Cornelissen (Greens/EFA) – a member of the Parliamentary Group for the rights of homosexual, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons—describes the current state of the fight against homophobia and for LGBT rights in the Balkans During the past EP legislature you have been working on the issue of homophobia in the Balkans. How… Read more »