How much until freedom? Pride in Serbia 21 years apart

The first attempt of Pride in Serbia happened in 2001 and ended in blood and violence with several people losing their lives. After this, instead of offering more governmental support and safety, the authorities of this small Balkan country prevented further efforts to organize and register the event until 2010.

After this, instead of offering more governmental support and safety, the authorities of this small Balkan country prevented further efforts to organize and register the event until 2010.

In 2010, with a new government, with many police officers guarding the event, more than 100 people were injured during the Pride walk.

The organizers took a break for three years and organized the first “successful Pride” in Serbia in 2014. The success in this sense is very subjective and it applies only to the part that this year’s event was organized without bigger incidents nor injured people.

At the conference in Bilbao in 2019, Belgrade Pride was selected to host 2022 EuroPride becoming the first city in the region as well as the first one outside of the European Economic Area to host this meaningful event.

With 21 years apart from the first attempt of Pride to EuroPride, Serbia hasn’t made itself a better place for marginalized groups. Queer people in this country still live in fear, questioning each move and rethinking what’s an appropriate outfit to wear outside of the house. With poor media representation and the authorities showing zero empathy towards this community, the distance between them and the other part of Serbian population is only growing bigger.

However, just a couple of days prior to the event, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic announced he would not permit EuroPride to take place. Due to the media scrutiny and general tension increase massive protests were held in Serbian capital city in order to prevent LGBTQ+ people from marching through Belgrade. Only two hours prior to the time of the beginning of the EuroPride march Serbian Prime Minister (a lesbian woman) publicly guaranteed the safety of the Pride participants. This has caused the right wing groups to organize a huge counter protest at the same time as the EuroPride walk and cause several casualties and attack more around 20 people.

There is a long way ahead before Serbia reaches the 10th UN sustainable goal and reduces inequalities that are still highly present.