In the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, the Pride Parade was held on Saturday afternoon, with the motto "No Step Back".
The Pride Parade marked the final activity within Pride Week, which began on June 9th.
This year's Pride Parade in Skanderbeg Square, which was held for the ninth time in Kosovo, was also attended by the mayor of the capital, Përparim Rama, as well as several foreign ambassadors to Kosovo, including the British and German ones.
Pride Week is dedicated to members of the LGBTIQ+ community. Throughout this week, marches and protests are taking place in many countries, with the request for the recognition of legal rights for marriages between persons of the same sex.
At this week's official launch event, representatives of the LGBTIQ+ community said that their rights are often only in draft laws and government plans, while emphasizing that members of this community continue to face discrimination.
Blert Morina, executive director of the Center for Equality and Freedom (CEL), said that he would like to see some successes mentioned at this event, such as the construction of a shelter for this community, the possibility of same-sex marriage, the legal recognition of gender identity, and the provision of health treatments for transgender people.
But, he said that none of these have been achieved and Kosovo is still not close to realizing them.
"The shelter has failed because the state has failed to protect its citizens, because same-sex marriage is still only our just cause, because legally recognized identity is the exception, not the rule, because services for transgender people are inaccessible," said Morina.
Kosovo does not allow same-sex marriages.
The issue was intended to be regulated by the Draft Civil Code, but it did not receive the support of the deputies of the previous legislature. Meanwhile, the new parliamentary composition, resulting from the February elections, has not yet been constituted.
The disagreements relate to the article of this Draft Code that would enable the drafting of a special law, through which the registration of "civil unions" between persons of the same sex would be permitted.
As well as the leaders of religious communities in Kosovo, the Draft Civil Code was also opposed by several deputies from the previous legislature, who argued that they were against the legislation because they wanted to protect "family values".
During the official opening of Pride Week, Kosovo's acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said that some members of the LGBTIQ+ community have had bad experiences in Kosovo, as well as in other countries around the world.
"Feelings of shame and self-loathing, rejection by family, and discrimination in society are phenomena that all of us who strongly believe in freedom and equality must fight together, vowing to move forward without taking a single step back," Kurti said.
He said that events like Pride Week are important in the battle for freedom and equal rights, regardless of sexual orientation or identity.
Kurti said that the Prime Minister's Office is preparing a 2025-2027 plan for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, which, according to him, will be approved this year.
"This action plan aims to raise public awareness about preventing discrimination, as well as to take concrete actions by institutions in the fields of education, health, and security, among others," he said.
The European Union said that Kosovo is taking steps in the right direction regarding the protection, inclusion and non-discrimination of the LGBTIQ+ community.
The EU Ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, mentioned the fact that the Pride Parade has been held every year in Kosovo without any incidents.
Orav also mentioned the confirmation of an indictment for hate crime, kidnapping, physical injury and threat to the personal privacy of a person from the LGBTIQ+ community.
"This is an important moment for justice in Kosovo," he said.
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