The Pride Parade was held in Tirana on Saturday. Dozens of members and supporters of the LGBT + community (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) marched with rainbow-colored flags, accompanied by police on the main streets of the Albanian capital.

Some of the participants carried banners with the inscription “we are family”, which was the main slogan of this organization.

This is the first parade after two years of disorganization due to restrictions on fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Albania in 1995, but homophobia and discrimination against the LGBT community continue to be pronounced.

According to the Progress Report, compiled by the European Commission for 2021, violence and discrimination against LGBT + persons remain widespread and dominant in Albanian society.

“Hate speech and discriminatory language continue to be problems in the media, especially online media, and by politicians,” the report said.

The US Department of State’s 2021 Human Rights Report, in the section on Albania, mentions that LGBT + persons are among the protected classes for hate crimes, but “despite the law and the government’s formal support for human rights, public officials make statements homophobic ”

Albania does not have legislation recognizing civil cohabitation and same-sex marriage.