May 11, 2007News: Gay Parade Should Be Authorised, Says Russian Deputy
By vanrozenheim
(Moscow, Russia) – A Russian State Duma deputy representing Liberal Democratic party and deputy head of the Duma Committee on constitutional legislation, Alexey Mitrofanov, said this morning that the Moscow authorities should allow the Moscow Gay Pride parade planned for the end of May. The banning, he said, will lead to very negative consequences for Russia as a country.
“As I understand it, an application to stage the parade in support for tolerance towards sexual minorities is to be filed shortly,” he said in the Duma (Parliament)
Mr. Mitrofanov stressed that there are various “level of emotions and attitudes towards these groups of our electors”.
“But my personal attitude towards them is polite and balanced”.
“There are no reasons to ban such manifestations – we must acknowledge that,” he insisted.
The Liberal Democrat deputy is convinced that if the Moscow authorities ban the parade, it will provoke very negative reaction from the West.
“We will lose all Strasbourg cases on this issue and then we will be surprised that some persons or deputies will not get entry visas to the European countries,” he suggested, referring to the case concerning last year’s Gay Pride parade that has been lodged with the European Court of Human Rights.
Nikolai Alekseev, one of the organisers of Moscow Pride, welcomed the statement of Deputy Mitrofanov calling it “a very brave political step”.
He stressed that: “Unfortunately we very rarely hear such balanced and politically responsible statements concerning homosexual people from Russian politicians.
“Today’s statement of Alexey Mitrofanov is a statement of the politician who is looking into the future and who sees Russia as a democratic and free state where the rights of all citizens irrespective of personal characteristics are respected”.
Mr. Alekseev added: “Alexey Mitrofanov knows very well that LGBT community is a big electoral resource which has not be used by any political power in our country. I want to believe that the time has come when the situation will start to change and the views of gays and lesbians who are equal citizens of Russia will finally be heard in the political process.”
Mt Mitrofanov has been invited to take part in the forthcoming conference as part of Gay Pride in any suitable role – as a participant or as a observer.
■ Press conference dedicated to the second Moscow Pride, coinciding with the official application to the Moscow Mayor for the gay parade, will take place in the Russian capital on Tuesday May 15.
