I received the decision with deep regret
Jelko Kacin
MEPs have hit out at the authorities in Serbia after the country's police enforced a ban on a gay pride event in Belgrade.
Riot police were deployed in large number across the capital on Sunday to enforce the ban on both the gay pride event and a gathering of a pro-Russian far-right group that threatened to burn an EU flag and spit on the portrait of the US ambassador in Belgrade.
The National Security Council announced it would forbid the two events, fearing they would turn violent.
Both a group of cross-party MEPs and Vincent Degert, head of the EU delegation to Serbia, had called earlier for freedom of expression and freedom of assembly to be respected despite threats of violence from several extreme-right groups.
Organised groups had repeatedly threatened large-scale physical violence in and around Belgrade, should the pride march go ahead.
Last year, 150 police officers and members of the public sustained injuries, 250 arrests were made and the Serbian authorities said that over €1m worth of damage was caused to public property during a similar march.
The National Security Council cited as a reason for its decision the incapacity of police forces to cope with such confrontation. It is not clear whether organisers will still attempt to go ahead and hold the pride.
The decision to ban the gay pride march was denounced by Austrian MEP Ulrike Lunacek, joint leader of parliament's LGBT intergroup and substitute member of the South Eastern Europe delegation.
The Greens deputy said, "I deeply regret that Serbian citizens will not be able to march for tolerance, acceptance and equality on Sunday.
"Serbian authorities have a duty to care for everyone's safety, but it is profoundly disturbing that the leadership of a country seeking EU candidate status and membership – supported by a majority in parliament – feel incapable of providing such safety for all citizens."
She added, "The government has to be much, much stricter towards extremists whipping up violence in the country. A society that cannot express itself for fear of violence is not a free, democratic society."
Her comments are echoed by Slovenian deputy Jelko Kacin, parliament's rapporteur for Serbia's accession and also a member of the intergroup.
The ALDE member said, "The decision to ban pride parade is a sovereign decision of the Serbian government and the National Security Council.
"But I received the decision with deep regret; as a matter of fact, it deprives citizens of the constitutional and legal right to free expression and peaceful assembly.
"A state seeking to access the EU must guarantee the human rights of its citizens. I have come to Belgrade to give my full support the pride’s organisers."
In a June 2011 report, the Council of Europe commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg highlighted strong public opposition to LGBT pride events in Serbia.
Parliament is currently drafting its upcoming accession report for Serbia, planned for early 2012.
