5% of Bulgarians Are Homosexual - Parade Organizers
Society | June 17, 2011, Friday // 17:30| views
Love Equality, Embrace Diversity" reads the official motto of the 3rd Sofia Pride gay parade; some 700 participants rallied in the Bulgarian capital in 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES
"5% in Bulgaria" will be motto of this year's "Sofia Pride" gay parade scheduled for Saturday in the Bulgarian capital.
Around 5% of the country's citizens are homosexual, according to the parade's organizers, even though it would be difficult for one to say the exact number.
The upcoming gay parade is not about homosexuals "showing off" their sexuality, but fighting for equal rights in the society and battling homophobia, a spokesperson for the organizers has declared, according to news.bg.
The organizers have pointed out that Bulgaria holds one of the "top" positions in EU as far as homophobia is concerned, according to surveys.
Some 1000 people are expected to participate in the parade scheduled to start at 16:00 Saturday at the so-called Lovers' Bridge near the National Palace of Culture in downtown Sofia.
On Monday, eight foreign embassies in Sofia came out with statements in support of the Sofia Pride, scheduled for this Saturday.
That includes the embassies of the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Germany, Slovenia, Finland and Norway, which all stressed their commitment to equal rights for all.
"Sofia Pride", Bulgaria's first ever gay parade, took place for the first time in 2008 and was marred by hooligans, with more than 60 people ending up arrested by the police for trying to attack and harass the participants, some of them throwing Molotov cocktails.
The 2009 gay parade, passing very quickly and under enhanced security measures, gathered around 300 people.
Bulgaria's 3rd annual gay parade went without violent incidents largely thanks to the decisive actions of the 300 riot police officers guarding the rally.
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