In Kosovo, the Crenare Week begins: “LGBTI+ rights are human rights”

The official opening of the Crenaria Week, which is the sixth consecutive organisation of its kind, took place in the Government of Kosovo.

Centre for Development of Social Groups (CSGD) Director Arber Nuhiu said it is up to relevant authorities to advance the rights of the LGBTI+ community.

This edition of the Crenaria Week comes with the slogan "both states and families," reflecting the current situation and reflecting the denied presence and existence of persons LBGTI both in state and in the family”, Nuhiu said.

He expressed considerable criticism of the statements by Kosovo Assembly deputies, separately at the March 16th session, when the Civil Bill was discussed, saying the Assembly allowed hate languages, homophobic and transphobe, adding that MPs failed to protect the Constitution, which guarantees equal rights for all citizens.

“Civil Drift-Codi to this stage has not been able to regulate the right to marriage for the same sex person. Consequently, the last version even proposed in Parliament is neither in spirit nor in the language of the Constitution nor in the practice of the Court of Human Rights, since in no form does not regulate the partnership of the same sex person”, Nuhiu said.

“We consider that the failure to marry the same sex perons is social and economic discrimination”, he added.

He warned that if this document in the end would not allow same-gender persons' marriages, nongovernmental organisations would send it to the Constitutional Court for Opinion.

In the Civil Billodin, which was introduced in the Parliament in March and has not been approved, the <x0-margin marriage is a legally registered community between the two mates of the different sexs, by which they freely decide to live together as husband and wife”.

But, the next article said that “the registered civil servants between people with same sex are allowed” and that conditions and related procedures are regulated by special law.

In the Kosovo Constitution says “on the basis of free consent, everyone enjoys the right to marry and the right to create a family in accordance with law”.

The Civil Billodin did not define what the “civil co-ordinator” is. But, however, it writes that “married men and civil community partners enjoy rights and reciprocal duties based on this”.

Meanwhile, speaking of projects initiated in the field of human rights, Nuhiu said he expects legislation to soon be adopted that will enable transgenerators to change gender in their documents.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said equality should not be selective, but full equality should be a daily goal.

“Unfortunately stigmatisation and discrimination continue to be in our society, and this is not only for the LGBTI+” community, Osmani said.

The week of Krenare reminds us of the importance of being proud of who we are, even when we are different because diversity is wealth. This week reminds us that equality can never be selective. Equality should apply equally to each human because equality is the most fundamental and initiative premiere of our Constitution, so equality should be our daily target”, Osmani said.

She added that with Kosovo's application to the Council of Europe and eventual membership in this institution, the further advance of the rights of the LGBTI+ community will be allowed.

Justice Minister Albulen Haxhiu, as long as the executive vows to work further on advancing human rights and that all citizens are treated equally.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier said Kosovo has made progress in respecting human rights, but work is still needed in that direction, offering US support.

We must accept that work is still needed to be done to ensure the rights of the LGBTI+ community. Our position is clear, LGBTI+'s rights are human rights. Dot”, he said. “

In Pristina, within Crenaria Week, the Crenaria Parade will be held Friday. Previous Crenaria parades held in Pristina were held without incident