By the official reason for the ban of Belgrade Pride the authorities can not ensure the security of the events, as previously some extreme homophobic groups indicated that they will attack the Pride participants. A cursory glance might even think that this is a correct attitude of the authorities, if they can not ensure the security of citizens, at least they tell it. However, its legal, political, social and moral assessment is quite different. This decision means that the authority is essentially legalized homophobia and recognized the right of existence of hate presented in the Serbian society. Politically, moreover, this decision carries a quite negative message to both camps: clearly to LGBT community with prohibition of the event, but those could not be absolutely satisfied with this decision, who were against the Pride while according to the official explanation of the banning the events the authorities would want to curb them(?), but were "not able". Latter argument, however even discredit the Serbian government in the eyes of those citizens, who would not feel committed themselves to any sides in this conflict. This decision is an own goal for the Serbian foreign policy as well, especially when the country's European integration intentions – which was mostly supported by Hungary – became strongly doubtful because Serbian nationalist had several new manifestations against the Hungarian minority living in Vojvodina. In such situation that could have been beneficial to the Serbs some help from the old alliance, from the French, or the Britain, but in these countries it would be very difficult to accept by the citizens the political support of the Serbian government flouting the basic human rights. We can only hope that these aspects will be considered in Belgrade and at least retrospectively, to draw the necessary conclusions for the future.
