Serbian Film Directors Speak Up For LGBT Rights
Leading lights from Serbia’s artistic community have joined a growing list of international celebrities to pledge their backing to Belgrade Pride. Serbian actress-turned-director Mirjana Karanović and film-maker Stevan Filipović have been among the first to come forward to support the week-long series of events, which will culminate in a planned parade through Belgrade’s city centre on Saturday, 6 October.
As a campaigner for human rights and freedoms, Serbian director Stevan Filipović (Skinning/Šišanje) has been critical of the way his country’s authorities slapped an undemocratic ban on Belgrade Pride in 2011, following years of violent attacks and bullying for gay people. He is fearful that former ultra-nationalist President Tomislav Nikolic and his regime will be unwilling to step up for the rights of all Serbians to gather in peace, which will paint Serbia in a negative light.
Belgrade Pride Publishes a Roadmap to Improve Gay Rights
Closer integration between people and police, firmer adherence to the rule of law, and the adoption of clear guidelines for the judiciary will foster vastly improved relations and a greater appreciation of the issues affecting Serbia’s LGBT community, Belgrade Pride organisers have said. It will also make Serbia a safer place to live.
Belgrade Pride organisers have published a roadmap to a safer Serbia, detailing what needs to be done if the country can move towards equal rights and improved safety for the country’s LGBT community.
Foremost among these demands awaiting a response from the authorities is for the Serbian Parliament to prove its commitment to improving human rights by adopting the Declaration Against Homophobia.
The Man Who Perks Up A Nation Every Day
Every morning, nearly 200,000 people in Serbia wake up to one political commentator. In a landscape that is cluttered with colourful characters, this man can command more attention than most political editors and his satirical slant on Serbia’s political shenanigans is more likely to be shared over email and coffee.
Yet this character choses not to wield his power to benefit any particular political party (despite their requests for his support). He prefers to remain as partial as any one in his position can be as he keeps his eyes peeled for what is most relevant – and funny – every day.
While his work is known to so many, few would recognise him if they passed him on the street. And he quite likes it that way. He is the much-admired political cartoonist for Blic newspaper.His name is Marko Somborac.
Serbian Voters Expect Jobs and Funding From EU Membership
Serbia’s interest in joining the EU has not been dented by troubles in Europe, a survey has shown. Despite increasing unemployment and higher prices across the continent, a large group of Serbian voters still believe that EU membership will deliver new jobs and provide access to a pool of cash. The poll of more than one thousand people also indicated that Kosovo is no longer seen as such a hurdle for the country in Europe, although Serbian voters are eager to see resolution to issues between Belgrade and Pristina.
New jobs (32%) and access to European funds (27%) ranked highest among the benefits of EU membership for those who said that they expected life in Serbia to improve as a EU candidate country. Significantly, the number of people who fear an increase in administration, taxes and even higher prices has fallen to just 17%, according to the survey for the European Integration Office of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
