Police rejected EuroPride's appeal, next stop is Administrative Court: "If that fails, we'll consider options"

Photo: ATA Images

The police (MUP) have rejected the appeal submitted by EuroPride regarding the banning of a walk scheduled for September 17. The organizers have announced that they will appeal to the Administrative Court.

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One of the organizers of EuroPride 2022, Goran Miletic, said that a second-degree decision was received from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) by which the police prohibits the route LBGT community members want walk on Saturday, September 17. Miletic added that they will appeal to the Administrative Court.

Miletic told Tanjug that the decision came half an hour before the end of the 24-hour deadline, and that it refutes the allegations that LGBT community complained about, among which is the claim that there will be conflicts with opponents of EuroPride.

"That's completely unbelievable, since we are peaceful citizens. We never clashed with anyone when we held Belgrade Pride, we don't attack anyone and we don't enter into any conflicts," said Miletic.

Miletic added that the MUP stated it is completely irrelevant whether someone attacks the LGBT community or that they are peaceful, but that the MUP has the right to ban a gathering, which, according to Miletic, is contrary to the rules of the Court of Human Rights.

"We are using legal mechanisms and the next step is that we will immediately appeal to the Administrative Court, as soon as possible," said Miletic and added that this community abides by the law, but also expects that their human and constitutional rights will be fully respected.

Miletic said he expects the Administrative Court will make a clear decision within 24 hours to annul the decision of the MUP.

"If that does not happen, we will see what our further options are, but we expect that we will all gather and walk as planned on September 17," said Miletic.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, based on the Law on Public Gatherings and in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, issued a decision on Tuesday not to allow the walk by participants in EuroPride 2022 as well as the family walk announced by "anti-globalists." Both were supposed to take place in Belgrade on Saturday, September 17.

The European Union is disappointed that the walk has been banned, said spokesman Peter Stano, while the European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, Vladimir Bilcik, expressed hope that the walk will still be held.

(Telegraf.rs)