Boban Stojanović

Elections in Hungary and Serbia stimulate tensions

National elections were held on April 3 in both Hungary and Serbia. In Serbia, the parliamentary election coincided with presidential and local elections in 12 municipalities, including the capital, Belgrade.

In 2017, when Ana Brnabic became not only Serbia's first female prime minister but its first openly gay head of government, the world marvelled at how such a conservative Balkan country could make such a progressive step.

In Serbia, however, few shared in the enthusiasm.

In Belgrade, another protest was held on 20th April under the slogan "One in five million - all in one", where the expert negotiating team with the government was presented. Then a procession of thousands of citizens from the Thezazian fountain was held with the motto "Against Electoral Fraud".

The chances of Serbia's opposition parties uniting into one formidable bloc have greatly receded after two key players, the Free Citizens' Movement and the Democratic Party, broke off their alliance.

The opposition was now in danger of splitting into two blocs, strengthening the hand of the government led by the Serbian Progressive Party, analysts told BIRN.

President Aleksandar Vucic's recent proposal for an 'internal dialogue' about the status of Serbia's former province of Kosovo is the latest of several initiatives to open up public discussion and reach consensus on major social and political issues, although none of them has ended in success so far, political analysts insist.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said that Serbian President’s Aleksandar Vucic’s plan to resolve relations between Belgrade and Pristina, would be a welcome turn in Serbia’s policy towards his country.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on Thursday said the Belgrade government will soon decide whether to offer diplomatic status to staff at the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Centre in Nis, which the US suspects could become a spy base.

BELGRADE - Gay pride marchers have rallied in central Belgrade amid a massive turnout of riot police and security officials aimed at preventing unrest that had marred previous rallies.

Pride Week 2015, an event devoted to promotion and protection of rights of the LGBT community, officially began on Monday by symbolic cutting of the ribbon.

The permissions necessary for the staging of the parade on Sunday, September 20, have not been issued yet but these should be procured by Thursday, said Boban Stojanovic of the Belgrade Pride Organizing Committee.

BELGRADE - LGBT organisations on Thursday signed a platform aimed at establishing unity in the fight for the rights of LGBT persons, as well as cooperation with other organisations focusing on protection of human rights.