Defiant EuroPride organisers refuse to cancel event

mambaonline.com:

The defiant organisers of EuroPride 2022 say they will not accept the Serbian president’s shocking declaration that the event has been cancelled. EuroPride is a pan-European LGBTI event featuring a Pride parade, hosted by a different European city each year.

The 2022 edition is set to take place alongside Belgrade Pride in Serbia between 2 to 18 September. On Saturday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that the event would be cancelled or postponed, ostensibly due to tensions with neighbouring Kosovo and economic issues facing the country. “Simply, at some point, you can’t handle everything,” said Vucic. “In another time, a happier one [it could take place].” The organisers, however, have rejected President Vucic’s decision and plan to proceed with the event insisting that it is their right to do so. “President Vucic cannot cancel someone else’s event,” asserted Kristine Garin, President of the European Pride Organisers Association – which licences EuroPride. “EuroPride in Belgrade will not be cancelled and will bring together thousands of LGBTI+ people from across Europe with LGBTI+ people from Serbia and the wider western Balkans.

It will bring many millions of Dinar into the local economy, and allow Serbia to show that it is on the road to being a progressive, welcoming European nation,” said Garin.

She pointed out that during the bidding process for EuroPride 2022, the openly LGBTQ Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic had promised the full support of the Serbian government for EuroPride in Belgrade. “And we expect that promise to be honoured,” added Garin.