Discussion on LGBTI+ Rights in Serbia’s EU Accession Process Held During Pride Week

As part of Pride Week, which took place from August 31 to September 6, a discussion titled “LGBTI+ Rights in the European Union Accession Process” was held at Europe House on Wednesday, September 2. The event was organized by the Da se zna! Association and the Balkans Forward Foundation.

The event brought together representatives of civil society, European and international institutions, the diplomatic community, political parties, and the media to discuss the place of LGBTI+ rights in Serbia’s EU accession process, the challenges in implementing existing commitments, and the role of European institutions in strengthening equality and the rule of law.

The event opened with remarks from Bojan Lazić, Executive Director of Da se zna!; Črtomir Peter Fisinger, Head of the Political Section of the EU Delegation to Serbia; Kristin Melsom, Ambassador of Norway to Serbia; Anke Holstein, Ambassador of Germany to Serbia; and Evgenia Giakoumopoulou, Acting Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade.

The discussion was moderated by journalist Vanja Đurić and featured Michael Kauch, President of LGBTI Liberals of Europe from Germany; David N. Chalmers of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom; Goran Miletić, Executive Director of the Balkans Forward Foundation; and journalist Sofija Popović of European Western Balkans.

The panelists also discussed the gap between Serbia’s formal human rights commitments and their implementation in practice, as well as the steps needed to achieve genuine progress in protecting the LGBT+ community. Particular attention was given to how the EU accession process can contribute to advancing LGBTI+ rights through the consistent implementation of laws, stronger institutions, and greater political accountability.