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As the president wrote in a statement sent by his office, “Today marks the end of Pride Month, where we declare that everyone deserves respect, love and equal treatment. This applies regardless of his sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.” “Can we really be proud of our inclusive society? Unfortunately, no,” she assessed.
Recent events in Maribor, where thugs repeatedly tore down a local bookstore’s rainbow flag and employees were subjected to homophobic insults, verbal attacks with neo-Nazi ideology, threats and bullying, are certainly not a source of pride for society, she warned. “They are a cruel reminder that LGBTIQ+ people still face discrimination, violence and prejudice,” she stressed.
She believes that such behavior is completely unacceptable and inconsistent with the values of our society. “Outbursts of homophobia and neo-Nazism are shameful and I condemn them in the strongest possible terms. Everyone in our country must have the right to be safe and respected, regardless of their sexual orientation or identity. This is not just an issue for the LGBTIQ+ community. It’s about all of us who believe in equality and respect for all,” she wrote.
She stressed that she liked Maribor and its relaxed atmosphere and friendly people. “But here I miss the protection provided by the municipality to the bookstore employees, I miss the municipality’s response to the attacks. And it is very worrying that this year Maribor would rather not hold a pride parade due to last year’s violence, rather than participate in efforts to create a tolerant environment through dialogue, where representatives of the LGBTIQ+ community can proudly walk on the streets of Maribor,” she pointed out.
She called on the City of Maribor to take immediate and appropriate measures to protect residents. She said the municipality needs to invest more in cultural and social projects to promote tolerance, understanding and acceptance of diversity. She called on the police to ensure that all residents are fully protected and safe and to take concerted action against the perpetrators of such crimes.
“I will be personally in Maribor, at the high school, to hold talks with students and teachers. I especially want to encourage young people to think and act for a better tomorrow, where everyone will live without fear, because human dignity is inviolable and must be respected and protected. It is necessary to emphasize the importance of education and training, because I believe they are key to changing prejudices and ensuring tolerance and solidarity.”
In her opinion, a bookstore is not just a place to sell books, but a symbol and place of thinking, openness, freedom and acceptance. “This is exactly the attitude we should have towards our fellow human beings. We must not be indifferent to any form of violence against anyone. This is not only a problem for the LGBTIQ+ community, but for all of us. Tomorrow, they may be the target of attacks and the rejection of some other personal characteristics of an individual,” warned.
She hopes that representatives of state institutions will overcome stereotypes and prejudices as much as possible and show more professionalism when dealing with such cases. At the same time, she welcomes the solidarity of all those who support the bookstore and the community as a whole after the violent removal of the rainbow flag.
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