March 25, 2009, Belgrade, Serbia: A controversial bill barring many types of discrimination is expected to be passed in Serbia by the end of April, despite being pulled from parliamentary procedure earlier this month.

The draft law was temporarily pulled from parliament after the largest churches in Serbia objected to parts of the law protecting freedom of religion and freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Women in Black-Serbia, a partner of The Advocacy Project (AP), supports the draft law, and actively protested the withdrawal of the draft law as both unconstitutional and undemocratic. The group, along with other civil society organizations, held a march earlier this month stressing human and women’s rights.

“Religious freedom means equal treatment of those who are religious and those who are not,” said Stasa Zajovic, director of Women in Black in Belgrade. “We’re fighting for freedom of choice, which means plurality of life styles, cultural models, equality of sexual choices, so we can be what we want instead of what a church, nation, army or party wants us to be.”

At the march, more than 100 people gathered with peace flags and banners calling for an end to fascism, a strengthened secular democracy, equal rights for the LGBT (lesbain, gay, bi, transgender) community, and the protection of women’s rights.

The march passed the offices of the national government and parliament, and ended in Republic Square in Belgrade. At Republic Square, many of the marchers gathered around the statue that dominates the square, while others lifted an enormous peace flag in its center.

The march was extensively covered by the local and national media and was afforded heavy police protection. The day’s activities also included a press conference about the proposed anti-discrimination law.

Civil society experts say the law proposed law is in harmony with international conventions signed by Serbia and has received a positive assessment from the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, the council’s advisory body on constitutional matters.

The law had been before Parliament for four years before it was withdrawn. Its adoption is a requirement for Serbia to be considered for membership in the European Union (EU).