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May 29, 2013
Serbia to consider giving gay couples legal rights

Right to inherit pensions from long term partners is among the rights proposed by new law

Serbia’s parliament will be presenting a draft law on giving same-sex legal rights at a public hearing on 4 June.

It will introduce the right of inheritance for gay couples who have lived together for a long time.

Balkan Insight reports if the law is passed, an LGBT citizen will inherit the pension of a late partner in the case of death. Partners will also be allowed to visit one another in hospital as ‘immediate family’ members.

April 25, 2013
Scott Mills on Eurovision and why Sam Fox should represent Britain

Ahead of his coverage on Eurovision for BBC3, gay Radio One DJ Scott Mills tells GSN he wants to see former Sun glamor model Samantha Fox, sing in the competition for the UK in 2014

For the uninitiated, the Eurovision Song Contest is the continent’s most baffling contribution to culture. Some countries take it super-seriously, others (step forward the UK) treat it as a bit of a joke and, as a result, tend to lose. Embarrassingly. For Europe’s gays meanwhile, Eurovision – good or bad – is the perfect excuse for a party.

April 22, 2013
European Parliament keeps track on gay rights in Balkans

MEPs recommend the EU keeps track on treatment of LGBT rights in Turkey, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia before they join the union

The European Parliament have told five Balkan countries how they should improve gay and trans rights if they are to join the EU.

Members of the parliament (MEPs) recommended the EU looks at how LGBT rights are received in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Kosovo.

The MEPs have to vote on the reports on each country, to make them parliamentary resolutions. In the past, right-wing parliamentarians have asked to remove paragraphs on LGBT issues from the reports but this was the first time no such request was made.

January 10, 2013
Landmark pro gay verdict delivered in Serbia court

A court in Novi Sad, Serbia has delivered the country's first ever verdict against discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace

A court in the city of Novi Sad in northern Serbia made legal history after it fined a man for discriminating against his gay colleague.

The court ordered the man, known only by his initials D.K., to pay the 25 year-old gay plaintiff 180,00 dinars ( 1,700) for causing moral damages and violating his personal rights, reputation and honour, according to the portal Balkan Insight.

December 18, 2012
Thugs attack launch of Kosovo magazine's gay sex issue

Guests at Kosovo 2.0 magazine's Night of Sex event in Pristina allegedly beaten and sprayed with teargas by anti-gay hooligans

Thugs attacked the launch of a magazine's gay issue in the Balkan city of Pristina, allegedly beating guests and throwing teargas.

The event on Friday (14 December) to celebrate Kosovo 2.0 magazine's latest issue exploring sex and sexuality was targeted twice by a group of hooligans who eyewitnesses claim were Muslim.

October 11, 2012
EU hopefuls still fall short on gay rights

Eastern European countries, including Serbia and Turkey, criticized over LGBT discrimination and abuse

Poor gay rights records mean EU hopefuls in Eastern Europe still 'fall short' of what is required to become member states.

The European Commission’s annual reports on accession countries, published yesterday (10 October), revealed that several nations were still lagging behind when it came to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.

According to the study, Macedonia‘s anti-discrimination laws still fall short of EU standards in relation to sexual orientation.

October 5, 2012
Banning of gay pride may damage Serbia’s European Union chances

After fears of riots from right-wing thugs, the Serbian government has received criticism for not protecting its LGBT people

The banning of Belgrade Gay Pride may damage Serbia’s chance of entry into the European Union, according to EU officials.

The event was stopped in the Eastern European country, which was due to take place tomorrow (6 October), for fear of riots and threats of violence from right-wing thugs.

October 4, 2012
Belgrade pride ban slammed as 'victory for prejudice'

MEPs say Serbia must improve gay rights record if it wants to join the European Union

Human rights group Amnesty International has slammed the decision to ban a gay pride event in Serbia's capital Belgrade as a 'victory for prejudice'.

The organization claims the Serbian government's order not to allow the LGBT rights march to go ahead on Saturday (6 October) is in breach of the country's law and constitution.

October 4, 2012
Belgrade pride ban slammed as 'victory for prejudice'

MEPs say Serbia must improve gay rights record if it wants to join the European Union

Human rights group Amnesty International has slammed the decision to ban a gay pride event in Serbia's capital Belgrade as a 'victory for prejudice'.

The organization claims the Serbian government's order not to allow the LGBT rights march to go ahead on Saturday (6 October) is in breach of the country's law and constitution.

October 3, 2012
Serbia bans Belgrade gay pride march

The Serbian Ministry of Interior has banned the gay pride march in Belgrade, just three days before it was due to take place

Serbia's Ministry of Interior has banned Belgrade Pride today, just three days before it was due to take place.

The Serbian authorities also banned the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender event in 2009 and 2011, claiming they were worried about public safety.

The National Security Council chose to outlaw the march, as well as the three other large public gatherings on 6 October, shattering any hope of the organizers even marching a few meters at the center of the city with their private security service.

September 23, 2012
Serbian authorities ban Belgrade Pride again

The Serbian capital’s annual gay pride parade has been banned ‘for security concerns’ for the second time in two years after anti-gay groups threatened another riot

An MP from Serbia’s governing coalition has told media that this year’s Belgrade Pride parade will be cancelled again this year ‘for security reasons’ just days before the city’s pride festival was due to begin.

September 4, 2012
Milan's police give Italian visa to Serbian gay husband

Italy does not recognize same-sex marriage or civil partnership, but a gay couple obtained the right to stay in the country

A Serbian citizen has obtained an Italian visa for having married his gay Italian partner in Canada, even though Italy does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil partnerships.

Djiordje, born in Serbia, has been given the ‘permesso di soggiorno’, a temporary visa which is the first step to the permanent one, by Milan’s Questura – in Italy visas are given by the police.

He married Adrian, half Italian and half Canadian, in 2009, then he moved to Italy and, supported by Certi Diritti association, tried to obtain the paper.

July 25, 2012
Serbia is Mecca for trans surgery

Trans around the world join Chaz Bono in choosing Eastern European country for gender reassignment surgery

Serbia has become a Mecca for gender reassignment surgery with the help of subsidies from the country's national health insurance.

According to the Belgrade Center for Genital Reconstructive Surgery, nearly 100 foreigners and Serbs have undergone the procedure in the past year, reported the New York Times.

April 2, 2012
EU hopefuls told to improve gay rights

European Parliament calls on Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo to tackle LGBT discrimination

The European Parliament is urging EU hopefuls Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo to improve gay rights.

In its 2012 accession report, the parliament called on the four countries which all candidates to join the EU in the future to make greater efforts in tackling discrimination against LGBT people.

Turkey's government was asked to include homophobia and transphobia in its hate crime laws, condemned for the frequent prosecution of LGBT people and asked that Turkish Armed Forces end classifying homosexuality as a ‘psychosexual illness’.