Pride Parade Shines Under Rainbow Flags in Prishtina

Hundreds of citizens in Kosovo took on the main square in Prishtina and joined the LGBTQ+  community to participate in the seventh Pride Parade. With flags, music, and the motto “I love you as you are” in their hands, the paraders filled the Mother Teresa square with colours on Saturday.

PM Albin Kurti, Minister of Health Arben Vitia, Mayor of Prishtina Perparim Rama and MP Mimoza Kusari were leading the parade, along with other public figures, citizens, and activists.

“I promised activists and representatives of organizations participating in today’s march, that I’ll participate in the Pride Parade, because I believe in human rights, I believe that we should all be equal, and everyone should have their dignity and integrity guaranteed and protected,” Kurti said at the parade.

“We will do our utmost to successfully pass the Civil Code in the next parliamentary session,” Kurti added.

Marchers waved rainbow flags, dancing and singing under the.

Pride Week kicked off on June 5 in Kosovo. Throughout the week, various activities were organized from Monday to Saturday, aimed at raising awareness among citizens about the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and fostering respect for their freedoms.

In addition to the Parade, street actions were also held on Friday with the purpose of conveying the weekly message to the citizens of Kosovo. This year, the focus was on the importance of combating the stigmatization of mental health and promoting social acceptance of LGBT individuals, urging public institutions to participate.

Last year, the parade’s motto was “In the State and in the Family,” aiming to reflect the presence and denied existence of LGBTQ+ individuals both within the state and the family.

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, stated that Pride Week is an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of protecting the rights of every member of Kosovo society and addressing the challenges they face.

“Kosovo has made progress in advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, as they are enshrined in our Constitution. Now more than ever, our efforts aim to demonstrate that we are committed to an equal society,” said Osmani during a press conference on Monday at the opening ceremony of Pride Week.

During the same conference, Blert Morina, the director of the Center for Equality and Freedom for the LGBTQ+ community in Kosovo, CEL, called for freedom for this community and highlighted the daily challenges they face.

“I am seeking freedom on two fronts: freedom for and freedom from. Freedom to be free from violence, freedom to love and openly receive love, freedom to be recognized,” Morina said.

However, in February last year, human rights and LGBTQ+ activists voiced their anger after Kosovo’s parliament failed to adopt a draft civil code, mainly due to an article that would have paved the way for the legalization of same-sex unions. With 28 votes in favor, 28 against, and four abstentions, the parliament failed to approve the draft civil code.

In 2017, activists and allies of Kosovo’s LGBTQ+ community celebrated the country’s first public pride march for the first time, with the motto “In the Name of Love.”