Czech president speaks against gay parade

PRAGUE A festival of sexual minorities, dubbed "The Prague Pride", is kicking off on Monday in the Czech capital city, and will last several for days. As part of the festival, the city's second gay parade will be held on Saturday. Czech president speaks against gay parade It will go ahead despite protests from conservative parties and initiatives, and the opposition of President Vaclav Klaus. The Prague Pride is being held under the auspices of Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda - a member of the conservative Civic Democratic Party, founded by Klaus. For this reason, Svoboda has been the subject of strong criticism from the opponents of the parade, including the Young Christian Democrats, the conservative D.O.S.T. Foundation, and anti-abortion groups, who plan to hold rallies against the event. Over the weekend, President Klaus noted that his "clearly negative stance" about the parade was expressed last year: "I consider it rational for people who see the parade in a different way to also express it loudly. It is needed. One side cannot be loud, while the other side keeps silent. I also welcome the fact that they will be standing against the parade." D.O.S.T. and the Young Christian Democrats were particularly angered by the organizers' decision to start the parade from in front of a monument dedicated to St. Vaclav, who is considered the patron saint of the Czech nation. Some 8,000 participants are expected to turn out and take part in the event. D.O.S.T. described the parade as "an obscene festival" that promotes the intolerant ideology of homosexuality. The organization for that reason called a rally of its own, "in defense of the pride of the normal people", and will today send a protest letter to the embassies of the countries that supported the Prague gay parade: the United States, Holland, and Israel. The parade will this year focus on marginalized groups within the LGBT population - including disabled homosexuals, transsexuals, and Roma homosexuals who live in their patriarchal communities. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of Czechs approve of same-sex marriages in the shape of the so-called registered partnership, which has been regulated by the country's laws. However, at the same time only 18 percent approve of allowing homosexuals to adopt and raise children. (Beta/AP, file) Beta

Czech president speaks against gay parade

It will go ahead despite protests from conservative parties and initiatives, and the opposition of President Vaclav Klaus.

The Prague Pride is being held under the auspices of Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda - a member of the conservative Civic Democratic Party, founded by Klaus.

For this reason, Svoboda has been the subject of strong criticism from the opponents of the parade, including the Young Christian Democrats, the conservative D.O.S.T. Foundation, and anti-abortion groups, who plan to hold rallies against the event.

Over the weekend, President Klaus noted that his "clearly negative stance" about the parade was expressed last year:

"I consider it rational for people who see the parade in a different way to also express it loudly. It is needed. One side cannot be loud, while the other side keeps silent. I also welcome the fact that they will be standing against the parade."

D.O.S.T. and the Young Christian Democrats were particularly angered by the organizers' decision to start the parade from in front of a monument dedicated to St. Vaclav, who is considered the patron saint of the Czech nation.

Some 8,000 participants are expected to turn out and take part in the event.

D.O.S.T. described the parade as "an obscene festival" that promotes the intolerant ideology of homosexuality. The organization for that reason called a rally of its own, "in defense of the pride of the normal people", and will today send a protest letter to the embassies of the countries that supported the Prague gay parade: the United States, Holland, and Israel.

The parade will this year focus on marginalized groups within the LGBT population - including disabled homosexuals, transsexuals, and Roma homosexuals who live in their patriarchal communities.

Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of Czechs approve of same-sex marriages in the shape of the so-called registered partnership, which has been regulated by the country's laws.

However, at the same time only 18 percent approve of allowing homosexuals to adopt and raise children.