Pride parade and counter rally in Sarajevo

Today, the third Pride Parade in Bosnia and Herzegovina is taking place in Sarajevo, under the slogan "Resistance from the Margins".

Branko Ćulibrk, one of the organizers and participants of the Pride Parade, says that a big problem is the inability of the authorities to process the violations of the law that occur.

"Other socioeconomic problems, such as unemployment and the like, are things that we want to change. We want a quality life, not to be a minority that does not have equal rights in society. One of our main demands is to stop the violence that we live every day and we are surviving, one of the requirements will be a law on same-sex partnerships," said Ćulibrk.

He said that a lot has been done so far, because in the last 15 years they worked on holding the Pride Parade and worked on the same-sex partnership law that was put into procedure, reports Radio Sarajevo.

Lejla Huremović, a member of the organizing committee of the Pride Parade, said that due to the coronavirus pandemic, not many who wanted to came.

"Unfortunately, research shows that there are many violations of rights, at work, at school, at home, etc. There are various reasons for such things, such as teachers telling students that homosexuality is a disease. The fact that we are invisible is why there is a Pride Parade. We are going out into the street to show that we exist and that love always wins," said Huremović.

In Sarajevo, a counter rally began - "Protest of Honor and Pride", organized by the Iskorak Initiative and the newly founded Bosnian People's Party.

Speaking about the counter-group, Huremović points out that they live in a democratic society where everyone has the opportunity to express their opinion, but without hate speech.

The Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton, Edin Forto, who is attending the procession, before the start of the two scheduled meetings, stated in a post on Facebook that the streets of Sarajevo are wide enough that everyone who wants to can find their place on them.

"Dear fellow citizens, dear people, this Saturday, August 14, the third 'Bih pride parade' will be held in our city, and we will witness the gathering of citizens who will come to the 'Protest of honor and pride'. Our streets are broad enough that everyone who wants to can find their place on them," he wrote, reports Radio Free Europe.