The Committee Chairman said he expected this year to show considerable improvement in the cooperation between the National Assembly and civil society organisations dealing with the protection of the rights of the LGBT population, also adding that further steps need to be defined for the upcoming period.
They agreed that one of the upcoming Committee sittings should tackle the rights and position of the LGBT population in the presence of representatives of all the relevant non-governmental organisations which deal with these issues, also discussing the possibility of organising a public hearing at the National Assembly on 17 May – International Day against Homophobia. They also announced an Interparliamentary Conference on the rights of LGBT persons which would gather the parliament members of Western Balkan countries and Turkey, and be co-organised by the European Parliament and the National Assembly.
Speaking of the association’s work and activities, the Executive Director of the Gay Straight Alliance Mirjana Bogdanovic proposed that the Report on the situation of the rights of LGBT persons in Serbia could be delivered, in addition to the international community, to the Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality as well. Analysing the situation of the LGBT population in Serbia, Mirjana Bogdanovic informed the Committee Chairman that the activities of the Gay Straight Alliance continue to be primarily focused on safety and security, as well as eradicating the prejudice against the members of the LGBT population.