ILGA-Europe welcomes first Pride March in Podgorica
On 20 October, the first LGBTI Pride March took place in Podgorica. The Pride March was supported by the Montenegrin government and the Montenegrin police provided adequate protection to the participants from numerous and violent protesters by escorting the marchers to military base outside the city after the event.
Print HTMLMartin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, who took part in Podgorica Pride, said:
“I would like to congratulate Queer Montenegro the organisers of the Pride, for a successful rally and stress their efforts and courage in organising this event in very hostile environment.
We also welcome the condemnation of the violent protests by the Montenegrin government and the efficiency of the Montenegrin police during the Pride. We also welcome the fact that recently the Montenegrin government adopted a national strategy to tackle homophobia.
However, the government now needs to implement its national strategy to tackle homophobia and channel its good will into practical steps to tackle widespread homophobia and transphobia by introducing and supporting education and other initiatives and programmes which address those issues.”
According to our Rainbow Europe’s Index (May 2013), Montenegro came 27th among 49 European countries in terms of laws and policies affecting the human rights of LGBTI people
