Gay News From Balkan

[haiducii]

Kosovo's Fearful Gays Stay Firmly in the Closet

Their rights may look good on paper - but in reality the LGBT community in Kosovo remains heavily discriminated against, in a society that still sees same-sex attraction as a disease.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

First transgender Serbian army veteran celebrates new identity as woman

More than a year after she was sacked from Serbia's army for coming out as transgender, Helena Vukovic has finally received a passport, driving licence, health and ID cards confirming her identity as a woman - a small but important step forward for a deeply conservative country.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

LGBT Activists March with Politicians for Belgrade Pride

Serbian politicians joined several hundred LGBT rights supporters on a march through the Serbian capital on Sunday for the Pride Parade, which concluded without any incidents – although many criticised the organisation of the event.

The third Belgrade Pride Parade, which took place under the slogan “Ljubav menjs svet / Love changes the world”, was held on Sunday with several hundred LGBT rights supporters, alongside Serbian politicians, participating in the march through the centre of the Serbian capital.

The group was protected by some 5,000 police officers who had the city centre in lockdown to ensure participants’ safety.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

Gay Marriage Under Fire Ahead of Romania Election

Ahead of a decision by the Romanian Constitutional Court on November 29 on whether gay marriages are constitutional, calls to ban gay marriage by redefining the constitutional definition of the family have gained traction in the general election campaign.

The Senate, the upper house of parliament, which was due to discuss an initiative seeking a redefinition of the notion of family in the constitution on November 7, has now postponed the debate until after the elections on December 11.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

Albanian LGBTs From Region Find Shelter In Tirana

Nineteen-year-old “S” cuts an unusual figure in Albania. Born a woman, S now wants to be considered a he/him, not a she/her.

Facing a good deal of psychological violence from her family about her sexual orientation, she says she tried committing suicide several times because of the pressure.

In the old days, there would have been nowhere to turn – but now “S” has found a place of refuge and support in the Albanian capital, Tirana.

Streha, which means “shelter” in Albanian, opened in December 2014 - the first-ever non-publicly-run residential centre in Southeast Europe for LGBT people.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

''Podrška / Support - Family Value'' - slogan of fourth Montenegro pride

The fourth Montenegro Pride will take place on 17 December in Podgorica. Main theme of the event for this year will be “Support – Family Value”.

The idea of the Organizing Committee behind the slogan, is that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people face refusal, intolerance and lack of support by their relatives. While the family environment is supposed to be the safest and most inclusive, this is quite often not the case for LGBTI people in Montenegro, as well as in many other parts of the world.

In its statement the Organizing Committee said that: “We believe that the traditional family in Montenegrin society supports all its members regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and that rejection, harassment, lack of understanding towards LGBTI people cannot be justified by arguing it is not in line with our traditions”.

Through this pride, organizers want also to draw attention to their own families, which are not yet recognized. At the Pride, they will demand the adoption of an inclusive legislation which recognizes these families.

This year participants will walk for all LGBTI people in Montenegro who are not accepted by their families and thus show them that they are not alone and that they have support.

With us this year will also be parents and relatives of people who have accepted their LGBTI members and have supported them in their efforts to a dignified life.

 

[haiducii]

EU Progress Reports reveal LGBTI rights situation in the Western Balkans

In November 2016, the European Commission published its annual progress report on countries aspiring to become members of the European Union and which are recognized by the latter as potential candidate countries or candidate countries for membership.

The reports, with a significant difference from those of previous years, cover LGBTI rights and issues more broadly, particularly for candidate countries which are now in negotiation process or are expected to start them soon.

The reports reveal that despite legal advancements in most countries, with the exception of Macedonia and Turkey, LGBTI people continue to face prejudice, discrimination and are targets of homophobic, nationalistic, extremist and other hate groups. Political will continues to remain law all over the region.

The reports have also praised the successful pride events in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia.

On Albania, the Commission recognized the progress made through the establishment of the National Council for Civil Society which aims to strengthen cooperation between government and CSO’s as well as the enactment of the law on volunteerism by Parliament...

On Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Commission notes that more work is required addressing human rights and minorities’ issues...

On Kosovo, the Commission notes some progress made with the implementation of 2015 package of human rights laws and declarations of support for LGBTI rights...

On Macedonia, the Commission notes that more efforts are needed to ensure the respect of human rights of vulnerable groups...

On Montenegro, the report notes that the country has completed several legislative reforms to further align with EU and international human rights standards, however implementation remains weak...

On Serbia, the report notes that the legislative and institutional framework for observance of international human rights law is in place...

READ MORE

 

[gorgik9]

I just want to convey a thousand thanks for yet another Gay News report from the Balkans!!!

You really are a guy out of the ordinary!

 

[haiducii]

The fourth Montenegro Pride parade

Dozens of people marched the streets of Podgorica in the fourth Montenegro Pride parade, urging families to show support for their LGBT relatives.

The NGO organizing the parade, Queer Montenegro, hoped that by the end of next year, Montenegro would adopt a law on same-sex marriages.

Homosexuality remains a sensitive issue in the socially conservative country, as it does elsewhere in the Balkan region.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

Festive Photo Series Celebrates Albania’s LGBT Community

LGBT couples in Albania posed for BIRN photographer Ivana Dervishi in a special collection of images created under the motto 'holidays belong to all forms of love', aimed at celebrating Albania’s LGBT community as well as the festive season.

 

[haiducii]

LGBT party attacked with teargas at Zagreb's Super Super club

A themed LGBT night at Super Super club was thrown into chaos yesterday as teargas was fired at party-goers in a homophobic attack, as reported by Vecernji list.

After the tear gas was fired, visitors tried to smash windows for air, and two were injured trying to leave the club. Police and ambulances arrived quickly to the scene.

This attack is part of a dramatic increase in hate crimes in Zagreb, Croatia. SDP's Bojan Glavašević announced a press conference today to address the issue.

SOURCE

 

[gorgik9]

LGBT party attacked with teargas at Zagreb's Super Super club

A themed LGBT night at Super Super club was thrown into chaos yesterday as teargas was fired at party-goers in a homophobic attack, as reported by Vecernji list.

After the tear gas was fired, visitors tried to smash windows for air, and two were injured trying to leave the club. Police and ambulances arrived quickly to the scene.

This attack is part of a dramatic increase in hate crimes in Zagreb, Croatia. SDP's Bojan Glavašević announced a press conference today to address the issue.

SOURCE

What awful news...X_X

The only thing to make me glad is the negative: It didn't happen in Maribor, Slovenia...

 

[haiducii]

LGBT Activists Protest Outside Russian Embassy In Belgrade, Serbia

April 26, 2017: Serbian activists protested in front of the Russian embassy in Belgrade in solidarity with gay men in Chechnya who have been reportedly suffering widespread officially-sanctioned abuse.

Click HERE to watch the video

 

[haiducii]

LGBT Community Struggles for Acceptance in Romania

Pride Week is ongoing in Romania, where Vlad Viski, a spokesperson for the LGBT rights group MozaiQ, believes the community is finally mobilizing in defence of its rights.

Viski, aged 29, says that ever since 2001, when homosexuality was finally decriminalised in Romania, until 2015, when the Coalition for the Family submitted its initiative to constitutionally redefine the family as a “consensual marriage between a man and a woman”, Romania’s LGBT community failed to come together.

According to the 2015 Eurobarometer on discrimination, Romanians have the lowest rate of approval for sexual minorities in the whole of the EU.

Percentages are close to this in the EU only in Slovakia, where a referendum on banning gay marriage failed in 2015 because not enough people voted.

READ MORE

 

[haiducii]

Bulgarian Politician Demands 'Outing' of Gay MPs

Bulgarian populist leader Vesselin Mareshki's call for gay MPs to reveal their sexual orientation - as a form of conflict of interest - has prompted both outrage and laughter.

Bulgarian MP Vesselin Mareshki has caused outrage for demanding that MPs reveal their sexual orientation - as a potential form of conflict of interest - together with whether they have alcohol or drug issues.

In an interview for NOVA TV on Friday the populist leader said gay people in power were hiding their sexual orientation, which potentially makes them “dependent on people who have secret recordings of their activities.

“I do not understand why homosexuals in power hide. Maybe they consider this something shameful,” the MP said, noting that “as free people they march on the squares” and “want to be seen”.

The MP mused that, by being open to blackmail, it could even “lead us to war with Russia”.

READ MORE

 

[gorgik9]

Just a simple note: When someone in political rhetoric is called to "reveal their sexual orientation" it's just a code for homosexuality; "reveal your sexual orientation" never means "reveal your heterosexuality".

 

[haiducii]

Serbia gets its first female – and gay – prime minister

President Aleksandar Vučić announces appointment of Ana Brnabić, 41, a graduate of the University of Hull.

A gay woman has been appointed prime minister of Serbia in a double first for the EU-candidate state.

Ana Brnabić, 41, a graduate of the University of Hull in England, is the Balkan nation’s first gay PM and first female PM.

READ MORE

 

[gorgik9]

Serbia gets its first female – and gay – prime minister

President Aleksandar Vučić announces appointment of Ana Brnabić, 41, a graduate of the University of Hull.

A gay woman has been appointed prime minister of Serbia in a double first for the EU-candidate state.

Ana Brnabić, 41, a graduate of the University of Hull in England, is the Balkan nation’s first gay PM and first female PM.

READ MORE

A simple reflexion from my Swedish perspective:

Sweden has still not had neither a female nor a gay prime minister (concerning the gay part: as far as it's publicly known).

Sometimes I wonder if it isn't the case that we (Swedes) are very good at telling everybody else what they should think, say and do - but we're much weaker when it comes to actually do the right thing. Our Scandinavian neighbours Denmark and Norway quite often say that Sweden suffers from the Big Brother syndrome - and I don't think they're totally mistaken...

 

[haiducii]

A simple reflexion from my Swedish perspective:

Sweden has still not had neither a female nor a gay prime minister (concerning the gay part: as far as it's publicly known).

Sometimes I wonder if it isn't the case that we (Swedes) are very good at telling everybody else what they should think, say and do - but we're much weaker when it comes to actually do the right thing. Our Scandinavian neighbours Denmark and Norway quite often say that Sweden suffers from the Big Brother syndrome - and I don't think they're totally mistaken...

Oh, don't be so pessimistic. According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Sweden is Europe's most gay-friendly country.

Vučić made a well thought out move under the pressure from the EU. (That's just what I heard.) Show for the masses!

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three of its annual reports for candidate and potential candidate EU countries. In those reports MEPs have assessed the rights of LGBTI people in Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo, and recommended the countries to improve the situation.

In its report on Serbia, the Parliament underlines that while the anti-discrimination framework is in place, there is no consistent implementation across the country. Further efforts remain necessary, including for LGBTI people.

Fabio-Massimo Castaldo MEP, Vice-President of the Intergroup on LGBTI Rights, continued: “While truly positive developments are happening on LGBTI rights in the Western Balkans, hate speech and hate violence remain problematic and are in many cases not addressed.”

 

[gorgik9]

Hrrrmmm...I don't see myself as particularly pessimistic, but I'm noting some simple facts - that Sweden hasn't had neither a female or an openly gay prime minister.