Organisers expect Belgrade Pride to be held on Sunday

BELGRADE - The organisers of the Belgrade Pride Parade believe the parade will be held on Sunday, adding that they have received assurances from Interior Ministere Nebojsa Stefanovic that the police were doing everything to make sure the event goes through without incident.

The organisers' representative Boban Stojanovic told a news conference the organisers had accepted all the suggestions presented at a recent meeting with Stefanovic in order to raise the level of security on their side.

The organisers stated that they believed the parade will be held on September 28, adding that the atmosphere was considerably different this year, meaning that the publilc tension surrounding the event was lower compared to earlier years.

"I think the number of threats we have received is significantly lower, but we still report them. We have noticed that the police react faster now and that the people who issue these threats that could possibly undermine the event are arrested sooner," Stojanovic pointed out.

The Parade is preceded by Pride Week, which will include debates, exhibitions and film screenings and will be opened formally on Monday.

Photo Tanjug, Z. Zestic