Participants of Sarajevo’s third Pride march are gathering at the starting point of Saturday’s Pride march and all the flags and posters have already been made ready and handed to everyone in the group waiting for the beginning of the march.

Many local politicians, especially those from right-wing parties, expressed their views on holding the Pride Parade by collecting political points from potential voters. Members of the People and Justice Party (NiP) were especially active in condemning the march, and they announced the launch of an initiative to define the space for public gatherings in Sarajevo.

Also, Sarajevo Canton’s Economy Minister Adnan Delic usurped the official Facebook page of the Ministry to express his negative views on holding the Pride march. Interestingly, no condemnation of the homophobic attitudes of individual politicians has come from civic-oriented parties that promote democratic rights, freedom of speech and assembly in their programs.

Sarajevo Canton's Prime Minister Edin Forto said that human rights belong to everyone:

“Honestly, I haven't been on social networks much, it's important that there is no hate speech in public. This is a protest, this is a fight for civil rights, civil rights cannot be seen as a buffet, all civil rights for all people throughout BiH. Societies that are open are societies that end up in the richest community of states, and that is the EU. Our citizens have shown a hundred times that they are tolerant. BiH deserves to be in the EU. In the coming years, we will see that tolerance will win. I expect big steps towards the EU after the elections,” Forto said.

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The LGBTI Pride march will begin gathering participants from 3 pm until 5 pm, after which everyone gathered will walk from the eternal flame in the centre of Sarajevo to the Historic Museum where the organizers will shortly address the gathered at 6:30 pm.