Skopje to Hold Its First Gay Parade in 2013

A Macedonian gay rights organisation announced on Thursday that the first Pride Parade in Skopje would be held next year.The organisation – the Council of the LGBT United – held a meeting and decided to form a body tasked with organising the first gay pride parade.

According to the organisers, the rally is due to take place in 2013 but the date is yet to be determined.The statement added that all relevant organisations and institutions working to advance the human rights agenda – “such as embassies, state agencies, and regional LGBT organisations” – would be invited to join the activities of the working body.

An updated annual report, “Rainbow Europe Index 2011,” by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, ILGA–Europe, puts Macedonia at the bottom of the Balkans when it comes to legal protection for the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual] community.

Macedonia scored only -2 on a scale from 17 to -7, with 17 as the highest score and -7 as the lowest, meaning a country characterised by “gross violations of human rights and discrimination” against the gay community.