Pride Week was opened today at Kalemegdan, with the presence of the European Union Ambassador to Serbia Emanuel Giaufret, Deputy Head of the Delegation Plamena Halacheva, as well as representatives of diplomatic corps.

Activists carried banners that read “Law on same-sex unions”, “Law on gender identity”, “We are not even close”.

During Pride Week, a series of events on the human rights of LGBT+ persons in Serbia is planned. A parade has been announced for Saturday, September 9, and its route is planned through the centre of Belgrade.

“The current moment is not at all optimistic for the LGBT+ community and the situation is much worse compared to the previous period,” said Belgrade Pride director Goran Miletić at the opening.

He reminded that last year the government banned the planned route of Europride and that it abandoned the adoption of the Law on Same-Sex Unions.

Some of the basic values of the European Union are equality and human rights. Through the motto “united in diversity”, the EU wants to express solidarity, defend equality and love in all forms.

Pride Week takes place from September 4th to 10th.