Third Sarajevo LGBTI Pride march kicks off

N1/F.Z.

The third Sarajevo LGBTI Pride march kicked off at precisely 5 pm from the direction of Sarajevo's Eternal Flame ending at the Historic Museum around 19.30 pm when organisers will hold a short address.

This year’s Pride march is held under the motto “Family day” and many parents joined the march in support of their children:

“I came from Banja Luka to support my daughter. It is important that people see that these are normal people and that they are not sick, that we are here with our children. My child also had problems, at school, at college, in public transport…” said the mother of one of the participants in the Pride march.

Many local politicians, especially those from right-wing parties, expressed their views on holding the Pride Parade by collecting political points from potential voters. Members of the People and Justice Party (NiP) were especially active in condemning the march, and they announced the launch of an initiative to define the space for public gatherings in Sarajevo.

Also, Sarajevo Canton’s Economy Minister Adnan Delic usurped the official Facebook page of the Ministry to express his negative views on holding the Pride march. Interestingly, no condemnation of the homophobic attitudes of individual politicians has come from civic-oriented parties that promote democratic rights, freedom of speech and assembly in their programs.

Sarajevo Canton’s Prime Minister Edin Forto said that human rights belong to everyone:

“Honestly, I haven’t been on social networks much, it’s important that there is no hate speech in public. This is a protest, this is a fight for civil rights, civil rights cannot be seen as a buffet, all civil rights for all people throughout BiH. Societies that are open are societies that end up in the richest community of states, and that is the EU. Our citizens have shown a hundred times that they are tolerant. BiH deserves to be in the EU. In the coming years, we will see that tolerance will win. I expect big steps towards the EU after the elections,” Forto said.