No. 07-00-182/2016-02 Date: 27 May 2016

OPINION

The opinion was made during the proceeding upon a complaint filed by R.I.C. against Jedinstvena Srbija, due to statements given by Dragan Markovic, President of this party on 13 January, in an interview in the weekly magazine A. The complaint was filed because discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, because in this interview, Dragan Markovic, speaking about LGBT population, among other, stated: “ What population? Those are little groups of people who turn their own and health problems of others into a business. How shall I support something that is contrary to nature…” Commissioner for Protection of Equality determined that expressing such an attitude represents and act of discrimination, because it offends the dignity of people with same-sex sexual orientation, creates a degrading and offending environment towards them, contributes to spreading stereotypes and prejudices, as well as stigmatization and intolerance. Commissioner pointed that particular responsibility and weight lay in the fact that this statement was made by a public authority, whose constitutional and legal duty should be respecting non-discrimination and equality of all citizens. Therefore, the opinion was made that Dragan Markovic, in his statements on 13 January 2016, in the weekly magazine A, violated provisions of Law on Prohibition of discrimination. Dragan Markovic was recommended to apologize to members of LGBT population, publishing his apologize in a daily newspaper with national circulation; and not to give statements which offend the dignity of LGBT population and support stereotypes towards people with same-sex sexual orientation in the future and to contribute to decreasing of homophobia, violence and discrimination and increasing tolerance towards this kind of population, as well as other minority groups, by his acts.

Commissioner for the Protection of Equality

Brankica Janković

Complaint filed by R.I.C. against Dragana Marković for hate speech aimed at LGBT population