On October 18, 2020, Ms. Leonora Shabani-Bajraktari, assembly member of the Municipal Assembly of Prishtina, referring to the awareness video published by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo where the rights of LGBTI people are promoted, more specifically the right to same-sex marriages, through a Facebook status says such a promotion is “intolerable”.
Also, On October 12, 2020, Mr. Eman Rrahmani, member of the Assembly of Kosovo, comes out against the ‘Pride Parade’ with the statements as ‘There is nothing better than being a parent, to call mother, father, daughter, son, grandfather, grandmother….! My political commitment is about the future of our children, my political commitment is for a family where there is a mother, father, son, daughter, grandmother, grandfather ‘.
Civil society organizations, Center for Equality and Liberty (CEL), Center for Social Group Development (CSGD), Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo (YIHR KS), Kosovo Gender Studies Center (KGSC) and Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) believe that these statements are completely unacceptable and such an action increases intolerance, hatred and mistrust among people, because the offense, intolerance of a certain social group is not a value.
Therefore, as human rights defenders, the organizations have written to the “Lëvizja Vetëvendosje” asking them to respond if the statements on social media by their activists who holds public posts and are elected by the citizens of Kosovo are also the stands of the “Lëvizja Vetëvendosje” and how will “Lëvizja Vetëvendosje” address intolerance and hate speech on social media by its activists who have public posts and elected by the citizens of Kosovo.
Moreover, in the case of “Lëvizja Vetëvendosje”, as the most voted party in the last elections, we believe that it is responsible and should be careful and restraint by its members when having such statements.
Center for Equality and Liberty – CEL
Center for Social Group Development – CSGD
Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo – YIHR KS
Qendra Kosovare për Studime Gjinore – QKSGJ
Civil Rights Defenders – CRD
