To coincide with the Belgrade Pride Parade, GEF with the support of FYEG and hbs organised a seminar in the city on LGBTQ rights in the Balkans. Only a few days before the Parade was due to take place, the Government banned the event following threats from far-right homophobic thugs. This decision represented a blow to LGBTQ rights in Serbia, as well as a defeat for the right to freedom of assembly. The GEF seminar went ahead as planned however, and represented an excellent forum to discuss the setback, as well as to discuss other aspects of this issue, such as what role the EU can play in advancing LGBTQ rights in the Balkan region.

GEF's Andrew Murphy attended the seminar and wrote this report.