Interior minister: It would be best to call off Pride Parade

BELGRADE -- Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić says that it would be best if the upcoming gay Pride Parade was canceled since police paid the “highest price” last year.

Ivica Dačić (Tanjug, file)

“Police always pays the highest price, not only financially but also when it comes to injuries. Many police officers were injured last year,” he pointed out.

The minister stated that if police operated in accordance with the security assessments, the Pride Parade would be declared a high risk event and they would think about calling it off.

“It is not up to police to make such decisions whether some gathering should be held or not,” Dačić stressed and called on state organs and society to voice their opinion about the parade.

He stated that it was no surprise that police unions were making statements about the Pride Parade since there was no official government position.

The interior minister stated that the Pride Parade was a political event that was very important for the state and that he had received a letter from the European Commission and the European Parliament saying that they were closely monitoring the Pride Parade.

When asked to comment on joint statement of the Police Union of Serbia and right-wing movement Dveri, Dačić asked the reporters whether Dveri was banned and added that it was not police’s job to ban any organization.