TGEU Urges the Serbian Government To Support EuroPride

TGEU is strongly concerned about the Serbian president’s statement withdrawing previous governmental support to EuroPride.

TGEU calls on the Serbian government to revise its stance towards EuroPride. Serbian authorities are obliged to secure freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and non-discrimination in the country. As a member of the Council of Europe and having ratified the European Convention on Human Rights, Serbia is obliged to protect the human rights of everyone, including trans and LGBTI people.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić withdrew previously-expressed governmental support to EuroPride by announcing that the demonstration cannot go ahead, citing “the significant crisis in Kosovo.” The statement stunned organisers of the pan-European demonstration, which had been scheduled for 12-18 September 2022 in the Serbian capital.

The first Pride Parade was held in 1970 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Pride is still relevant today. Trans people and the LGBTIQ community in Serbia and elsewhere suffer from growing nationalism and see their human rights undermined by anti-gender actors. Alexander Vučić’s statement is part of such escalations, endangering the fragile peace in the Balkan region. Echoing the president’s intention, an aggressive mob in Serbia has already taken to the streets, creating an atmosphere of violence against LGBTIQ people.

Protecting human rights is a precondition for peace and stability. Being able to express oneself and to demonstrate publicly for the rights of marginalised groups is a core component of democracy.

TGEU urges president Vučić to uphold human rights for all of its citizens and to ensure EuroPride 2022 can happen peacefully.

TGEU calls upon the leaders of the European Union and the Council of Europe to remind president Vučić of Serbia’s imperative international human rights obligations.