7 openly gay lears have served as heads of state. Latvian print Edgars Rkēvičs is the latt

Contents:

• SERBIA TO HAVE FIRST GAY PRIME MISTER AS ANA BRNABIC IS CHOSEN
• ANA BRNABIC: GAY PARTNER OF SERBIAN PM GIV BIRTH
• SERBIA GETS S FIRST FEMALE – AND GAY – PRIME MISTER
• LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE
• ANA BRNABIć: 'I DO NOT WANT TO BE BRAND SERBIA'S GAY PM'
• SERBIA PRI: GAY PM BRNABIC 'NOT WANTED' AT PARA
• SERBIA’S FIRST GAY PREMIER GETS SEND TERM AFTER LANDSLI W
• SERBIA'S GAY PRIME MISTER JOS PRI PARA IN BELGRA
• SERBIA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PRIME MISTER ATTENDS BELGRA PRI MARCH
• SERBIA'S FIRST OPENLY-GAY PRIME MISTER ANA BRNABIC JOS HUNDREDS OF MARCHERS AT LGBT PRI EVENT
• SERBIA'S OPENLY GAY PRIME MISTER, PARTNER WELE BABY BOY
• SERBIA APPOTS FIRST GAY AND FEMALE PRIME MISTER
• U.S. DIPLOMAT STICKS IT TO ANTI-GAY PRIME MISTER—WH A HUGE PRI PARTYPRIDE AND PREJUDICEMEMBERS OF VIKTOR ORBáN’S ERNMENT—WHICH HAS ADOPTED ANTI-LGBT POLICI—ARE WELE TO JO.DAN LADN-HALLNEWS CORRPONNTUPDATED JUL. 15, 2023 4:31AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 14, 2023 10:55PM EDT EXCLIVEPHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTYDAVID PRSMAN, THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, HAS NOT SHIED AWAY OM LLG OUT THE ANTI-LGBT RHETORIC AND POLICI OF HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBáN AND HIS ERNMENT. SCE HIS ARRIVAL BUDAPT LAST YEAR, THE GAY HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER HAS BEEN RELENTLSLY CRICIZED BY THE UNTRY’S STATE-NTROLLED MEDIA FOR WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS HIS PROVOTIVE PROPAGANDIZG OF PROGRSIVE WTERN VALU TO A PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE THEM.HIS WEEKEND PLANS SEEM LIKELY TO SPARK ANOTHER ROUND OF VECTIVE. ON SUNDAY, HE WILL MARK THE END OF BUDAPT PRI MONTH BY HOSTG A PIIC AT HIS OFFICIAL RINCE FOR HUNGARIAN LGBTQI+ FAI—A CELEBRATN OF A MUNY WHO, UNR ORBáN, ARE BEG MA TO FEEL CREASGLY UNWELE THEIR HOMELAND.“CANDIDLY, WE’VE BEEN PRETTY OVERWHELMED BY THE TERT PARTICIPATN OM HUNGARIAN LGBT FAI AND THEIR ALLI—AND I EXPECT ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE THERE, MAKG WHAT WE’RE TOLD WILL BE THE LARGT EVENT OF S KD HISTORY HUNGARY,” PRSMAN TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “AND I THK NOW’S A REALLY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THE UNED STAT AND THE TERNATNAL MUNY WR LARGE TO STAND WH THIS MUNY THAT IS CREASGLY BEG ED A DIVISIVE AND POLIL WAY THAT IS TENSN WH THE MMENTS THIS ERNMENT HAS MA TO UPHOLDG TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS.”HIS MENTS ON FRIDAY ME HOURS AFTER DOZENS OF EMBASSI HUNGARY RELEASED A JOT STATEMENT EXPRSG SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQI+ MUNY THE UNTRY “AND THEIR RIGHTS TO EQUALY AND NON-DISCRIMATN, EEDOM OF EXPRSN AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY, AND EEDOM OM VLENCE.” THE LL FOR SUPPORT IS TIMELY. THIS WEEK, HUNGARY’S LARGT BOOKSELLER, LIBRI, BEGAN WRAPPG BOOKS PLASTIC IF THE WORK CLUS LGBT CHARACTERS TO STOP BROWSG SHOPPERS OPENG THEM STOR. THE RETAIL CHA SAID WAS DOG SO PLIANCE WH A 2021 SO-LLED “CHILD PROTECTN” LAW WHICH BANNED THE “DISPLAY AND PROMOTN OF HOMOSEXUALY” TO CHILDREN UNR THE AGE OF 18. ANOTHER BOOKSELLER WAS FED ON THURSDAY FOR SELLG A GRAPHIC NOVEL ABOUT A LOVE STORY BETWEEN TWO TEENAGE BOYS BEE WAS FOR SALE THE CHILDREN’S SECTN. HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBAN SPEAKS DURG HIS TRADNAL NEW YEAR PRS NFERENCE AT HIS NEW OFFICE, BUDA CASTLE'S CARMELA MONASTERY, ON JAN. 9, 2020, BUDAPT. ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY “WE’RE AT A MOMENT WHERE WE’RE SEEG EVENTS UNFOLD CLUDG BOOKSTOR BEG FED FOR DISPLAYG BOOKS, WE’RE SEEG BOOKS BEG WRAPPED CELLOPHANE TO TRY TO SOMEHOW SIGNIFY THAT THE NTENT OF THOSE BOOKS IS SOMETHG THAT NEEDS TO BE SEGREGATED,” PRSMAN SAID. “WE’RE SEEG REAL ATTACKS ON THE DIGNY OF THIS MUNY, AND SO WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO BRG TOGETHER LGBT FAI FOR A CELEBRATN.”EXACTLY HOW THE PIIC WILL BE RECEIVED BY HIS HUNGARIAN HOSTS IS ANOTHER MATTER. AFTER HIS SPEECH LAST MONTH AT THE BUDAPT PRI OPENG EVENT, ONE PRO-ERNMENT OUTLET ACCED PRSMAN OF “TRYG TO MAKE PEDOPHILIA PC.” BUT PRSMAN SAYS THE ATTACKS—MONLY THE FORM OF ACCATNS OF “WOKEISM”—E REGARDLS OF WHAT HE SPEAKS ABOUT. “THE RPONSE IS OFTEN THE ERNMENT SAYG: ‘YOU’RE SPEAKG ABOUT LGBT ISSU,’ OR, ‘YOU’RE PHG A WOKE AGENDA,’” HE SAYS. “AND THAT ULDN’T BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.” “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE.” BEFORE BEG SWORN TO HIS CURRENT ROLE AUGT, PRSMAN PREVLY SERVED AS THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNED NATNS FOR SPECIAL POLIL AFFAIRS AND AS AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURY. HE’S ALSO WORKED WH ACTOR GEE CLOONEY—WHO LLS HIM “CUZ”—AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CLOONEY FOUNDATN FOR JTICE.THE HOSTILY TOWARD HIM HUNGARY BEGAN BEFORE HE EVEN ARRIVED THE UNTRY. LAST JULY, A BOAT SAILED DOWN THE RIVER DANUBE BUDAPT CLOSE TO THE SE OF THE U.S. EMBASSY RRYG A SKULL AND CROSSBON BANNER MARKED WH THE WORDS “MR. PRSMAN, DON’T LONIZE HUNGARY WH YOUR CULT OF ATH.” (HE NOW DISPLAYS A PHOTO OF THE PIRATIL WELE HIS OFFICE.)DPE THE PERSONAL ATTACKS, HE’S NOT TAKG CRICISMS OF HIS ACTNS PERSONALLY. “THIS IS REALLY NOT ABOUT ME, AND ’S NEVER BEEN ABOUT ME,” HE SAID. “IT’S ABOUT THE UNED STAT’ LONGSTANDG MMENT AND PRINT BIN’S PERSONAL MMENT TO STAND UP PROUDLY AND STRONGLY FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE—CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE HUNGARY.”HE NEVERTHELS NCES THAT THERE ARE “CHALLENG OUR RELATNSHIP WH HUNGARY” AND THAT THOSE CHALLENG MANIFT “ WAYS THAT ARE AT TIM TENSE AND UNIQUE—CERTALY UNIQUE AMONGST ALLI.” DAVID PRSMAN, US AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, ADDRS A PRS NFERENCE AT THE EMBASSY BUILDG BUDAPT, HUNGARY ON APRIL 12, 2023.ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY LIKEWISE, PRSMAN HAS AT TIM TAKEN UNIQUE STEPS RPONSE TO CERTA ISSU. OF PARTICULARLY PRSG NCERN IS ORBáN’S HAB OF PHG KREML NARRATIV—MUCH TO THE NSTERNATN OF OTHER NATO MEMBERS—AND HIS PERSONAL FONDNS FOR RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT. ON PRSMAN’S WATCH, HIS EMBASSY OCTOBER RELEASED A TWTER QUIZ ASKG PEOPLE TO GUS IF A SERI OF ANTI-AMERIN QUOT—CLUDG A LL FOR WAR WH THE U.S.—ME OM PUT OR HUNGARIAN ERNMENT FIGUR. (SPOILER: THEY WERE ALL OM HUNGARIANS.) AND LAST MONTH, PRSMAN QUOTETWEETED A POST OM ORBáN REFERRG TO GEE SOROS’ SON AS “SOROS 2.0.” “THE DOG-WHISTLE NSPIRACY THEORI ARE LIKE THE PLOT OF GODFATHER 3: PREDICTABLE & TROUBLG,” PRSMAN WROTE.RSIA’S WAR UKRAE IS A PARTICULARLY ACUTE STRA ON DIPLOMATIC RELATNS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND HUNGARY. IN NTRAST WH OTHER NATO LEARS, ORBáN HATED NMNG PUT’S WAR AND HAS OPPOSED EU PLANS TO SEND MORE FANCIAL AID TO KYIV. ON FRIDAY, AFTER RETURNG OM A NATO SUMM LHUANIA, THE PRIME MISTER EVEN CLAIMED “THE WT WANTS WAR” AND BLAMED THE ONGOG BLOODSHED UKRAE ON THE U.S. “IF THE AMERINS WANTED PEACE,” ORBáN SAID A RAD TERVIEW, “THERE WOULD BE PEACE TOMORROW MORNG.”CROSSROADS“I THK THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNED STAT WANTS PEACE, WE WANT THIS WAR TO END,” PRSMAN SAID. “THE PERSON WHO N END THIS WAR—TODAY—IS VLADIMIR PUT. AND ’S UNFORTUNATE WHEN WE SEE POLIL ACTORS CLUDG, THIS SE, THE PRIME MISTER, SUGGTG THAT ’S THE UNED STAT THAT IS SOMEHOW DRIVG THIS WAR. THAT ULD NOT BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.”“WE’RE A MOMENT WHERE THE STAK ARE EXTREMELY HIGH,” PRSMAN NTUED. “THERE’S A LAND WAR EUROPE. THERE’S A WAR NEXT DOOR THIS UNTRY AND FACTS MATTER. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT VLADIMIR PUT STOPPED FIGHTG, THE WAR WOULD END TODAY, AND IF THE UKRAIANS STOPPED FIGHTG, UKRAE WOULD END.”THE AMBASSADOR ADD THAT “THE WORLD CHANGED” WH THE BEGNG OF THE VASN LAST YEAR. “HUNGARY I THK HAS HISTORILLY FELT FORTABLE OCCUPYG A MIDDLE ROAD BETWEEN EAST AND WT, THERE ARE REAL CHOIC TO BE MA,” PRSMAN SAID. “AND THE UNED STAT IS PAYG CLOSE ATTENTN TO THE CHOIC HUNGARY IS MAKG, AND I THK ’S TE—’S UNNIABLE—THAT HUNGARY IS MAKG CHOIC THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR OTHER ALLI AND PARTNERS THE REGN, AND THAT’S THE SUBJECT OF TENSIVE ENGAGEMENT BY THE UNED STAT AND AN AREA WHERE I AM FOCED.”ANY PRENT TENSNS BETWEEN WASHGTON, D.C. AND BUDAPT NOTWHSTANDG, PRSMAN REMAS OPTIMISTIC THAT “THE HUNGARIAN PEOPLE SEE THEIR FUTURE WH THE WT.” THIS WEEKEND, AT THE PIIC, HE HOP THAT THE HUNGARIAN ERNMENT SE THE “BETIFUL DIVERSE ARRAY” OF S OWN PEOPLE TOO. FAI, HE ADDS, “WHO ARE LIVG HAPPY AND FULFILLG LIV, WHO ARE ADVANCG THE VERY HUNGARIAN VALU THAT THIS ERNMENT STANDS FOR.”THE AMBASSADOR SAYS VATNS FOR THE LGBTQI+ EVENT HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO SENR OFFICIALS ORBáN’S ERNMENT. WHETHER THEY SHOW UP OR NOT IS A SEPARATE QUTN. “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE,” PRSMAN SAID. “BUT THEY SHOULD CERTALY KNOW THEY ARE WELE.” DAN LADN-HALL
• LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE
• SERBIA'S FIRST OPENLY-GAY PRIME MISTER ANA BRNABIC JOS HUNDREDS OF MARCHERS AT LGBT PRI EVENT
• SERBIA’S FIRST GAY PREMIER GETS SEND TERM AFTER LANDSLI W
• SERBIA'S OPENLY GAY PRIME MISTER, PARTNER WELE BABY BOY

SERBIA TO HAVE FIRST GAY PRIME MISTER AS ANA BRNABIC IS CHOSEN

Image source, RtersImage ptn, Ms Brnabic prevly served as public admistratn and lol ernment misterThe print of Serbia has nomated a gay woman to be his prime mister a double first for the eply nservative Balkan Brnabic was chosen by the new Print, Aleksandar Vucic.

Ms Brnabic is not only Serbia's first openly gay PM, but also the first woman that post. "I believe that Brnabic has profsnal and personal quali to be prime mister, " Mr Vucic told ma no mentn of her this evince of a profound change attus to homosexualy? The symbolism of the appotment is real, but agast a backdrop of graed and staed antipathy towards homosexualy.

It may be more of a harbger of change than evince that change has already rearch 2015 found that almost half s officers agreed wh the statement "homosexualy is an illns that should be treated", reports the BBC's Guy De Lney Belgra. They mean gay people face discrimatn and threats to their physil safety. Belgra's Gay Pri march was banned for three years succsn on grounds of public safety after far-right protters attacked the event was revived 2014 amid huge secury, cludg special forc and armoured sce then, civil society anisatns have reported that some dividuals takg part have lost jobs as a source, AFPImage ptn, Hostily to the 2010 gay pri march Belgra led to vlence, after which the event was ncelled for several yearsImage source, AFPImage ptn, Advanc have been ma to protect gay people unr Serbian law, but homophobia remas rifeWhy is Serbia socially nservative?

ANA BRNABIC: GAY PARTNER OF SERBIAN PM GIV BIRTH

"On acceptg the nomatn to bee prime mister, she said she would be workg on goals "that are bigger and more important than all of dividually" Brnabic will jo a small number of gay prime misters to lead ernments Europe, cludg Leo Varadkar the Republic of Ireland and Xavier Bettel Luxembourg. Iceland had an openly gay prime mister, Johanna Sigurdardottir, 2009-2013.

SERBIA GETS S FIRST FEMALE – AND GAY – PRIME MISTER

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Ana Brnabic has been cricised by LGBT activists for not dog enough to fend gay rights the untry. Serbian Prime Mister Ana Brnabic's gay partner has given birth what the PM's office said was a first for a world lear.

A statement said the birth mother, Mili Djurdjic, and baby, reportedly a boy named Igor, were "dog fe" Brnabic, 43, beme both Serbia's first female and first gay prime mister June appotment was seen as a surprise move for the Balkan natn where same-sex marriage is not regnised.

She and Ms Brnabic met at a gay bar the pal, is socially nservative and homophobia is mon.

LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE

The untry's nstutn explicly f marriage as beg between a man and a woman, and gay civil partnerships are not officially upl are also barred om adoptg children, though sgle people n adopt regardls of their sexual has several laws place to tackle discrimatn, equaly and hate speech, but activists argue that not enough is beg done to expand the rights or enforce them.

Crics have spoken out agast Ms Brnabic, argug that she has not done enough to bolster LGBT a Gay Pri para Belgra 2017, she refed to say if she would like to see same-sex marriage legalised on this story. A gay woman has been appoted prime mister of Serbia a double first for the EU-ndidate Brnabić, 41, a graduate of the Universy of Hull England, is the Balkan natn’s first gay PM and first female PM. Brnabić’s appotment, which the same week that Leo Varadkar was formally elected as Ireland’s first gay PM, is all the more remarkable given that vilent homophobia is still wispread the Serbian print, Aleksandar Vučić, announced on Thursday eveng that he was givg Brnabić, a non-party technocrat, the mandate to form a new ernment, scribg her as “hard-workg, [wh] profsnal and personal quali”, the Serbian news agency B92 reported.

ANA BRNABIć: 'I DO NOT WANT TO BE BRAND SERBIA'S GAY PM'

Brnabić entered polics jt last year when she beme Serbia’s first openly gay mister, headg the mistry for public admistratn and lol self-ernment.

SERBIA PRI: GAY PM BRNABIC 'NOT WANTED' AT PARA

She studied the US and graduated Hull wh a marketg MBA 2001, before returng to Serbia to work the wd power dtry and then for US-fund velopment Miletić, a civil rights activist and Belgra Pri aniser, said: “Even some wtern untri would be big news and a posive signal if a gay or lbian person beme prime mister or mister.

It is even more important for a untry where 65% believe that homosexualy is an illns and 78% thk that homosexualy should not be exprsed outsi hom.

SERBIA’S FIRST GAY PREMIER GETS SEND TERM AFTER LANDSLI W

Vlence and discrimatn are wispread and reurse to jtice after homophobic attacks limed by social stigma.

Latvia swore the first openly gay print of a Baltic natn Rkēvičs, who sce 2011 was the untry’s foreign mister, was elected by Parliament May after Print Egils Levs did not seek re-electn.

SERBIA'S GAY PRIME MISTER JOS PRI PARA IN BELGRA

”Rkēvičs “proudly” announced he is gay on Twter November 2014, though the untry, a former Soviet republic, is not pecially LGBTQ-clive.

SERBIA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PRIME MISTER ATTENDS BELGRA PRI MARCH

” He said he knew there would be “mega hysteria, ” but he end wh the hashtag “#Proudtobegay. ”He is one of jt a few openly gay heads of state the world. She is thought to be the first openly gay prime mister the was an active unnist her nearly 10 years workg as a flight attendant, acrdg to the Council of Women World Lears, a work of female heads of state.

After the accatn, he said, he was chased down the street by reporters, one of whom yelled, “Yet they say you’re a homosexual! ”Xavier Bettel Prime Mister of Luxembourg (2013-prent)Luxembourg Prime Mister Xavier Bettel at a news nference Belgra, Serbia, on July Vojovic / APBettel was first elected prime mister of Luxembourg 2013, and 2018 he beme the first openly gay prime mister the world to be re-elected for a send marriage beme legal Luxembourg 2015, and the same year Bettel beme the first servg European Unn lear to marry a same-sex partner, the BBC recently cricized a Hungarian law that bans school tnal materials and TV shows for people unr 18 that are emed to promote LGBTQ ntent, Rters reported. “To be natnally blamed, to be nsired as not normal, to be nsired as a danger for young people — ’s not realizg that beg gay is not a choice, ” Bettel said, acrdg to Rters.

SERBIA'S FIRST OPENLY-GAY PRIME MISTER ANA BRNABIC JOS HUNDREDS OF MARCHERS AT LGBT PRI EVENT

Gay, lbian and bisexual people n serve the ary, but transgenr people nnot.

“Hopefully this will blow over three or four days, and then I won’t be known as the gay mister, ” she told The Associated Prs at the Varadkar Prime Mister of Ireland (2017-20, 2022-prent)Irish Prime Mister Leo Varadkar Bssels on June 30.

SERBIA'S OPENLY GAY PRIME MISTER, PARTNER WELE BABY BOY

Ludovic Mar / AFP - Getty Imag fileVaradkar beme Ireland’s first openly gay Taoiseach, or prime mister, 2017 and served until 2020. The appotment of Ana Brnabić as Serbia’s prime mister aged 41 was acpanied by the sound of glass ceilgs beg shattered all around only is she the first woman to take on the role, Brnabić is gay and has achieved high office whout beg a member of a polil her first terview to a foreign newspaper after a month the job, she said: “Serbia is changg and changg fast, and if you will, I am part of that change, but I do not want to be brand ‘Serbia’s gay PM’. Although as a gay Serbian cizen she nnot marry, Brnabić said she did not plan to ph LGBT legal reforms at this stage.

SERBIA APPOTS FIRST GAY AND FEMALE PRIME MISTER

“I don’t thk Serbia is that homophobic.

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Ana Brnabic is the first gay head of ernment a Balkan untryIt's the only Balkan untry to have an openly gay prime mister - so why are some of Serbia's LGBT activists termed to keep PM Ana Brnabic away om Gay Pri? But one year on, progrs is snt: LGBT rights have not improved, new laws are still far om beg adopted and there has been no fall the number of attacks on gay largely nservative Orthodox Christian Serbia, a ndidate for EU membership, discrimatn and vlence agast the LGBT muny are wispread.

U.S. DIPLOMAT STICKS IT TO ANTI-GAY PRIME MISTER—WH A HUGE PRI PARTYPRIDE AND PREJUDICEMEMBERS OF VIKTOR ORBáN’S ERNMENT—WHICH HAS ADOPTED ANTI-LGBT POLICI—ARE WELE TO JO.DAN LADN-HALLNEWS CORRPONNTUPDATED JUL. 15, 2023 4:31AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 14, 2023 10:55PM EDT EXCLIVEPHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTYDAVID PRSMAN, THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, HAS NOT SHIED AWAY OM LLG OUT THE ANTI-LGBT RHETORIC AND POLICI OF HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBáN AND HIS ERNMENT. SCE HIS ARRIVAL BUDAPT LAST YEAR, THE GAY HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER HAS BEEN RELENTLSLY CRICIZED BY THE UNTRY’S STATE-NTROLLED MEDIA FOR WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS HIS PROVOTIVE PROPAGANDIZG OF PROGRSIVE WTERN VALU TO A PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE THEM.HIS WEEKEND PLANS SEEM LIKELY TO SPARK ANOTHER ROUND OF VECTIVE. ON SUNDAY, HE WILL MARK THE END OF BUDAPT PRI MONTH BY HOSTG A PIIC AT HIS OFFICIAL RINCE FOR HUNGARIAN LGBTQI+ FAI—A CELEBRATN OF A MUNY WHO, UNR ORBáN, ARE BEG MA TO FEEL CREASGLY UNWELE THEIR HOMELAND.“CANDIDLY, WE’VE BEEN PRETTY OVERWHELMED BY THE TERT PARTICIPATN OM HUNGARIAN LGBT FAI AND THEIR ALLI—AND I EXPECT ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE THERE, MAKG WHAT WE’RE TOLD WILL BE THE LARGT EVENT OF S KD HISTORY HUNGARY,” PRSMAN TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “AND I THK NOW’S A REALLY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THE UNED STAT AND THE TERNATNAL MUNY WR LARGE TO STAND WH THIS MUNY THAT IS CREASGLY BEG ED A DIVISIVE AND POLIL WAY THAT IS TENSN WH THE MMENTS THIS ERNMENT HAS MA TO UPHOLDG TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS.”HIS MENTS ON FRIDAY ME HOURS AFTER DOZENS OF EMBASSI HUNGARY RELEASED A JOT STATEMENT EXPRSG SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQI+ MUNY THE UNTRY “AND THEIR RIGHTS TO EQUALY AND NON-DISCRIMATN, EEDOM OF EXPRSN AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY, AND EEDOM OM VLENCE.” THE LL FOR SUPPORT IS TIMELY. THIS WEEK, HUNGARY’S LARGT BOOKSELLER, LIBRI, BEGAN WRAPPG BOOKS PLASTIC IF THE WORK CLUS LGBT CHARACTERS TO STOP BROWSG SHOPPERS OPENG THEM STOR. THE RETAIL CHA SAID WAS DOG SO PLIANCE WH A 2021 SO-LLED “CHILD PROTECTN” LAW WHICH BANNED THE “DISPLAY AND PROMOTN OF HOMOSEXUALY” TO CHILDREN UNR THE AGE OF 18. ANOTHER BOOKSELLER WAS FED ON THURSDAY FOR SELLG A GRAPHIC NOVEL ABOUT A LOVE STORY BETWEEN TWO TEENAGE BOYS BEE WAS FOR SALE THE CHILDREN’S SECTN. HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBAN SPEAKS DURG HIS TRADNAL NEW YEAR PRS NFERENCE AT HIS NEW OFFICE, BUDA CASTLE'S CARMELA MONASTERY, ON JAN. 9, 2020, BUDAPT. ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY “WE’RE AT A MOMENT WHERE WE’RE SEEG EVENTS UNFOLD CLUDG BOOKSTOR BEG FED FOR DISPLAYG BOOKS, WE’RE SEEG BOOKS BEG WRAPPED CELLOPHANE TO TRY TO SOMEHOW SIGNIFY THAT THE NTENT OF THOSE BOOKS IS SOMETHG THAT NEEDS TO BE SEGREGATED,” PRSMAN SAID. “WE’RE SEEG REAL ATTACKS ON THE DIGNY OF THIS MUNY, AND SO WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO BRG TOGETHER LGBT FAI FOR A CELEBRATN.”EXACTLY HOW THE PIIC WILL BE RECEIVED BY HIS HUNGARIAN HOSTS IS ANOTHER MATTER. AFTER HIS SPEECH LAST MONTH AT THE BUDAPT PRI OPENG EVENT, ONE PRO-ERNMENT OUTLET ACCED PRSMAN OF “TRYG TO MAKE PEDOPHILIA PC.” BUT PRSMAN SAYS THE ATTACKS—MONLY THE FORM OF ACCATNS OF “WOKEISM”—E REGARDLS OF WHAT HE SPEAKS ABOUT. “THE RPONSE IS OFTEN THE ERNMENT SAYG: ‘YOU’RE SPEAKG ABOUT LGBT ISSU,’ OR, ‘YOU’RE PHG A WOKE AGENDA,’” HE SAYS. “AND THAT ULDN’T BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.” “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE.” BEFORE BEG SWORN TO HIS CURRENT ROLE AUGT, PRSMAN PREVLY SERVED AS THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNED NATNS FOR SPECIAL POLIL AFFAIRS AND AS AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURY. HE’S ALSO WORKED WH ACTOR GEE CLOONEY—WHO LLS HIM “CUZ”—AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CLOONEY FOUNDATN FOR JTICE.THE HOSTILY TOWARD HIM HUNGARY BEGAN BEFORE HE EVEN ARRIVED THE UNTRY. LAST JULY, A BOAT SAILED DOWN THE RIVER DANUBE BUDAPT CLOSE TO THE SE OF THE U.S. EMBASSY RRYG A SKULL AND CROSSBON BANNER MARKED WH THE WORDS “MR. PRSMAN, DON’T LONIZE HUNGARY WH YOUR CULT OF ATH.” (HE NOW DISPLAYS A PHOTO OF THE PIRATIL WELE HIS OFFICE.)DPE THE PERSONAL ATTACKS, HE’S NOT TAKG CRICISMS OF HIS ACTNS PERSONALLY. “THIS IS REALLY NOT ABOUT ME, AND ’S NEVER BEEN ABOUT ME,” HE SAID. “IT’S ABOUT THE UNED STAT’ LONGSTANDG MMENT AND PRINT BIN’S PERSONAL MMENT TO STAND UP PROUDLY AND STRONGLY FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE—CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE HUNGARY.”HE NEVERTHELS NCES THAT THERE ARE “CHALLENG OUR RELATNSHIP WH HUNGARY” AND THAT THOSE CHALLENG MANIFT “ WAYS THAT ARE AT TIM TENSE AND UNIQUE—CERTALY UNIQUE AMONGST ALLI.” DAVID PRSMAN, US AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, ADDRS A PRS NFERENCE AT THE EMBASSY BUILDG BUDAPT, HUNGARY ON APRIL 12, 2023.ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY LIKEWISE, PRSMAN HAS AT TIM TAKEN UNIQUE STEPS RPONSE TO CERTA ISSU. OF PARTICULARLY PRSG NCERN IS ORBáN’S HAB OF PHG KREML NARRATIV—MUCH TO THE NSTERNATN OF OTHER NATO MEMBERS—AND HIS PERSONAL FONDNS FOR RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT. ON PRSMAN’S WATCH, HIS EMBASSY OCTOBER RELEASED A TWTER QUIZ ASKG PEOPLE TO GUS IF A SERI OF ANTI-AMERIN QUOT—CLUDG A LL FOR WAR WH THE U.S.—ME OM PUT OR HUNGARIAN ERNMENT FIGUR. (SPOILER: THEY WERE ALL OM HUNGARIANS.) AND LAST MONTH, PRSMAN QUOTETWEETED A POST OM ORBáN REFERRG TO GEE SOROS’ SON AS “SOROS 2.0.” “THE DOG-WHISTLE NSPIRACY THEORI ARE LIKE THE PLOT OF GODFATHER 3: PREDICTABLE & TROUBLG,” PRSMAN WROTE.RSIA’S WAR UKRAE IS A PARTICULARLY ACUTE STRA ON DIPLOMATIC RELATNS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND HUNGARY. IN NTRAST WH OTHER NATO LEARS, ORBáN HATED NMNG PUT’S WAR AND HAS OPPOSED EU PLANS TO SEND MORE FANCIAL AID TO KYIV. ON FRIDAY, AFTER RETURNG OM A NATO SUMM LHUANIA, THE PRIME MISTER EVEN CLAIMED “THE WT WANTS WAR” AND BLAMED THE ONGOG BLOODSHED UKRAE ON THE U.S. “IF THE AMERINS WANTED PEACE,” ORBáN SAID A RAD TERVIEW, “THERE WOULD BE PEACE TOMORROW MORNG.”CROSSROADS“I THK THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNED STAT WANTS PEACE, WE WANT THIS WAR TO END,” PRSMAN SAID. “THE PERSON WHO N END THIS WAR—TODAY—IS VLADIMIR PUT. AND ’S UNFORTUNATE WHEN WE SEE POLIL ACTORS CLUDG, THIS SE, THE PRIME MISTER, SUGGTG THAT ’S THE UNED STAT THAT IS SOMEHOW DRIVG THIS WAR. THAT ULD NOT BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.”“WE’RE A MOMENT WHERE THE STAK ARE EXTREMELY HIGH,” PRSMAN NTUED. “THERE’S A LAND WAR EUROPE. THERE’S A WAR NEXT DOOR THIS UNTRY AND FACTS MATTER. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT VLADIMIR PUT STOPPED FIGHTG, THE WAR WOULD END TODAY, AND IF THE UKRAIANS STOPPED FIGHTG, UKRAE WOULD END.”THE AMBASSADOR ADD THAT “THE WORLD CHANGED” WH THE BEGNG OF THE VASN LAST YEAR. “HUNGARY I THK HAS HISTORILLY FELT FORTABLE OCCUPYG A MIDDLE ROAD BETWEEN EAST AND WT, THERE ARE REAL CHOIC TO BE MA,” PRSMAN SAID. “AND THE UNED STAT IS PAYG CLOSE ATTENTN TO THE CHOIC HUNGARY IS MAKG, AND I THK ’S TE—’S UNNIABLE—THAT HUNGARY IS MAKG CHOIC THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR OTHER ALLI AND PARTNERS THE REGN, AND THAT’S THE SUBJECT OF TENSIVE ENGAGEMENT BY THE UNED STAT AND AN AREA WHERE I AM FOCED.”ANY PRENT TENSNS BETWEEN WASHGTON, D.C. AND BUDAPT NOTWHSTANDG, PRSMAN REMAS OPTIMISTIC THAT “THE HUNGARIAN PEOPLE SEE THEIR FUTURE WH THE WT.” THIS WEEKEND, AT THE PIIC, HE HOP THAT THE HUNGARIAN ERNMENT SE THE “BETIFUL DIVERSE ARRAY” OF S OWN PEOPLE TOO. FAI, HE ADDS, “WHO ARE LIVG HAPPY AND FULFILLG LIV, WHO ARE ADVANCG THE VERY HUNGARIAN VALU THAT THIS ERNMENT STANDS FOR.”THE AMBASSADOR SAYS VATNS FOR THE LGBTQI+ EVENT HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO SENR OFFICIALS ORBáN’S ERNMENT. WHETHER THEY SHOW UP OR NOT IS A SEPARATE QUTN. “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE,” PRSMAN SAID. “BUT THEY SHOULD CERTALY KNOW THEY ARE WELE.” DAN LADN-HALL

Two gay Pris, one gay PM and no end to problemsAhead of 2018 Pri, a group of activists disappoted wh the slow pace of reforms lnched a mpaign lled "Say no". Ms Brnabic is the ma foc of their mpaign, bee her "work on strengtheng LGBT rights has been disappotg, " said a statement om the anisatn behd the mpaign, source, Getty ImagImage ptn, The first peaceful Belgra Pri happened 2014, but anti-gay protters also took to the streetsSpeakg at the 2017 para, Ms Brnabic said that LGBT rights would be addrsed only after important problems such as flatn, pensns and the standard of livg had been rolved. Unhappy wh the efforts of other gay activists, Mr Azjkovic started another para June.

LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE

Its goal is to "brg the gay march back to ordary people and away om policians". "They say: 'You have a gay prime mister, two paras, you should be ntent'.

For Serbia's LGBT muny, everyday life is still marred by wispread homophobia: a survey by the regnal ERA anisatn showed that every fifth gay uple Belgra gets rejected when tryg to rent a suatn is even gloomier outsi the pal, activists ernment has adopted the Law agast Discrimatn but s rarely e to jtice.

Another survey done by ERA showed that 90% of people Serbia are agast givg LGBT upl the right to adopt, while about 70% are agast gay upl herg a partner's belonggs after ath. Same-sex marriage is still illegal historyImage source, AFPImage ptn, Around 100 people were jured when anti-gay protters clashed wh police durg Belgra Pri 2010Serbia's first Pri para 2001 end vlence when hundreds of hooligans and extremists attacked a peaceful march spe a heavy police 2010, about 100 people were jured when that year's march was also attacked central Belgra.

SERBIA'S FIRST OPENLY-GAY PRIME MISTER ANA BRNABIC JOS HUNDREDS OF MARCHERS AT LGBT PRI EVENT

"Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, For Serbia's LGBT muny, everyday life is still marred by wi-spread homophobiaTalkg to Belgra's Pri magaze, Ms Brnabic said that not supportg the gay march would be hypocril. "Policians have to be part of the para and send the msage that 'gay is ok', " Mr Miletic told the BBC. Serbia’s First Gay Premier Gets Send Term After Landsli WAna BrnabicPhotographer: Oliver Bunic/BloombergLock This article is for subscribers Brnabic, Serbia’s first female and openly gay prime mister, will lead the ernment for a send term followg a landsli w by the lg party.

SERBIA’S FIRST GAY PREMIER GETS SEND TERM AFTER LANDSLI W

Up NextSerbia’s First Gay Premier Gets Send Term After Landsli W.

SERBIA'S OPENLY GAY PRIME MISTER, PARTNER WELE BABY BOY

Ana Brnabic, the first openly gay prime mister the Balkan regn and the first Serbian woman the top job, has joed about 1, 000 gay activists at Belgra's gay-pri para. "Diversy and tolerance mt not be rced to regnn and appreciatn of members of the LGBT [lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr] populatn only, but mt enpass other mory groups as well, " she said at a September 15 nference on human and mory rights Serbia. Serbia's first-ever openly gay prime mister joed gay activists Sunday at a pri march held amid tight secury the nservative Balkan 's Prime Mister, Ana Brnabic, center, attends a gay pri march Belgra, Serbia, Sunday, Sept.

18, 2017, 2:28 PM UTC / Source: RtersBELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia's first openly gay prime mister joed several hundred gay activists Sunday at a gay pri march that was held amid tight secury the nservative Balkan untry. Gay activists Serbia have hailed Brnabic's electn as an important step their stggle for gay rights, but say much more still needs to be done. "Today we walk together and together we will strs that problems still exist and that we want to work together to solve them, " said activist Goran rry signs and rabow flags durg the Gay Pri para on September 17, 2017 Isakovic / AFP - Getty ImagSerbia's embattled gays have faced wispread harassment and vlence om extremists.

The first pri march 2001 was marred wh vlence, and more than 100 people were jured durg a gay pri event 2010 when police clashed wh right-wg groups and soccer hooligans. But the uple is now planng their weddg at home their Balkan untry, wh the promise of a new law that will regnise same-sex partnerships markg an important victory for the LGBT muny that fac wispread homophobia. Dpe beg one of few natns to have an openly gay prime mister, Serbia's machismo-heavy culture leav many LGBT people livg fear.