Belgrade Pride: Serbia's LGBTQ+ fight on after no progress
September 6, 2024
The Belgrade Pride parade has not been banned. There are no immediate threats, and no incidents are expected. As positive as all this is, that's where the good news for the organizers of the parade, which is due to take place in the Serbian capital this Saturday, ends.
For the past 10 years, the organizers of Belgrade Pride have been calling for the adoption of laws on same-sex unions and gender identity, as well as a swift and effective response from state authorities to hate speech and crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Serbia.
"We are far from achieving equality or a dignified life, and we are even further from having legal solutions that would enable LGBTQ+ citizens in Serbia to live equal and functional lives," said Filip Vulovic, one of the parade's organizers.
As a result, the organizers' list of demands remains unchanged for the 10th consecutive year.
No state cooperation
The slogan of this weekend's Belgrade Pride parade is "Pride is People," which the organizers chose to remind Serbian society that members of the LGBTQ+ community "are just people who suffer from the same problems as everyone else, but with additional challenges caused by homophobia and transphobia."
Even though last year's Belgrade Pride parade was the largest ever held in Serbia, organizers said the situation regarding rights for LGBTQ+ individuals is getting worse.
"The institutions remain silent on our requests. Even symbolic gestures, like opening Pride Week at the City Assembly — which was once a tradition — or displaying Pride flags along the street, have been denied with excuses for the past four years," Vulovic told DW.
"These small acts indicate whether institutions are willing to cooperate with us to increase visibility and work together."
Unlike previous years, Pride Week has been relatively peaceful this year, with no counter-protests or negative campaigns in pro-government tabloids.
"It's a positive sign that state-aligned tabloids have not been instructed to publish negative reports," noted Vulovic. "This helps prevent negative sentiment from escalating before Pride."
Continued violence outside Pride Week
But Pride Week aside, the reality for Serbia's LGBTQ+ community remains harsh. The NGO Da se zna, which means "Let it be known" in English and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, reported 85 cases of violence and discrimination against members of the community last year, including 19 physical attacks.
"The most severe case last year involved two gay men who a group of skinheads in central Belgrade brutally assaulted. One suffered a stab wound in the area of his spinal cord. Doctors fought for his life for days. The other one was hit on the head with a glass bottle," Bojan Tomic of LGBTQ+ association Da se zna told DW.
The NGO's analysis has shown that two-thirds of these cases remain legally unresolved. "Maybe one case a year goes to court, while two-thirds of all cases remain unaddressed by the institutions. Criminal charges are often filed but then left unattended by the police or prosecutor's office," said Tomic.
According to Vulovic, perpetrators are rarely prosecuted for hate crimes. "Prosecutors often do not treat hate crime as an aggravating factor, despite its recognition in the Criminal Code. This reflects a deeper political issue within our institutions."
Stalled legislation on same-sex unions
In addition to safety concerns, this year's focus for organizers is on the push for a law on same-sex unions, which would allow same-sex couples to formalize their partnerships and to access property rights, inheritance and hospital or prison visitation rights.
The competent ministry prepared the draft law three years ago while Ana Brnabic, the second female LGBTQ+ head of government in the world, was still prime minister. However, President Aleksandar Vucic blocked the law from being adopted.
"While there is some initiative, and Ana Brnabic advocated for it, I told her not to sign off on same-sex marriages. I take responsibility for this decision. If the EU criticizes us for this, they should direct their criticism to me, not Ana Brnabic. I believe we are a traditional society," Vucic said in a 2023 interview.
Protest rather than a celebration
Since then, little progress has been made.
"A few months ago, during a meeting with the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights regarding EU integration, the minister acknowledged the need for this law but did not indicate any push to advance it," said Vulovic.
The ministry has not responded to DW's inquiries.
This explains why activists see Belgrade Pride as a protest rather than a celebration. "Pride can be a celebration in Berlin or Amsterdam, but not here," said Tomic. He believes the protest must continue to challenge institutions.
"Pride envisions a country where everyone is respected," he said. "Only the law and institutions can guarantee our safety, and we must ensure that human rights are upheld in Serbia."
Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan