EuroPride In Serbia Cancelled After Alt-Right Threats But… Is It Really?
Serbia was selected by the European Pride Organisers Association to host EuroPride 2022. This pan-continental event would signify a shift towards progressive social attitudes in Eastern Europe, but President Aleksandar Vucic has announced that concerns over right-wing threats mean the event may not be going ahead, reports ABC News.
EUROPRIDE IS NOT CANCELLED
EuroPride organisers selected Serbia’s capital city Belgrade to host the event three years ago in 2019 and although President Vucic has announced the nation’s withdrawal of support, the event organisers want to stress that this does not mean EuroPride won’t commence.
In an official statement from the European Pride Organisers Association with Belgrade Pride, they say, “Neither the hosts of EuroPride 2022, Belgrade Pride, nor us as the licensor will cancel EuroPride in Belgrade. The right to hold Pride has been ruled by the European Court of Human Rights to be a fundamental human right.”
“Any attempt to ‘ban’ a Pride is a breach of Articles 11, 13 and 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights, ratified by Serbia as a member of the Council of Europe,” they say.
There has been noted pressures from the alt-right groups who have been vocally against Belgrade Pride and EuroPride being hosted in in Serbia. Mr Vucic says, “It’s not the question of whether they [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.”
Despite Eastern Europe having a largely traditional and conservative reputation, Serbia has made pledges to safeguard the LGBTQIA+ community and has made concerted effort to demonstrate a progressive evolution, reports ABC News. Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic is the first woman to hold this position as well and the second openly LGBTQIA+ woman in the world to be the head of government for a nation.
According to N1, Prime Minister Brnabic agrees with President Vucic and says, “This year is really difficult and this September is especially difficult and specific. On September 1, a hellish period begins for us in terms of what will happen on the territory of Kosovo, how the Albanians in Pristina will react, and what further unilateral moves they will make.
“No matter how you turn it, from any angle you look at it, the first indisputable thing is to ensure peace and stability.”
