No one in Croatia should feel like a second-class citizen because of their gender or sexual orientation, President Zoran Milanovic said on Sunday.

On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Milanovic said in a Facebook post that he had on many occasions expressed a wish for Croatia to be a solidary community of citizens who may be different but are all equal.

“Today, when democratic and civilised societies around the world mark International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, let me reiterate my firm belief that no one should feel like a second-class citizen in Croatia because of their gender or sexual orientation,” Milanovic said.

He called for a commitment to promoting equality, building an open and safe society, including the right to choice, non-discrimination and protection of all minorities, as well as zero tolerance to violence.

“That is the only way for Croatia to really be a country of equal people,” he said.

Zagreb Pride: Around 64% of LGBTIQ persons experience violence

Around 64% of LGBTIQ persons in Croatia experience violence and one in three attempts to commit suicide or hurt themselves, the Zagreb Pride association said on the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

The LGBTIQ community says that the joint message of the global LGBTIQ movement – Break the Silence – is a message and appeal to the authorities and society to make violence against the LGBTIQ community impermissible and punishable.

Zagreb Pride recalls that the Council of Europe on Sunday called on European countries to do more to help young LGBTIQ persons deal with the challenges they encounter, notably in the current times of crisis.

Zagreb Pride says that discrimination and hate crimes against LGBTIQ persons in Croatia “are not only due to active work by the right-clerical organisations and their campaign of spreading prejudices and hate against LGBTIQ persons but also due to the government’s discriminatory policy, non-implementation of existing laws and court inefficiency.”

The NGO called on President Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic to think about their own responsibility for the social status of LGBTIQ persons and what they can do to improve it.