The deputies did not approve the money for Prague Pride. We will vote again, says Mushroom
The annual Prague Pride festival in support of the LGBT + movement is in danger of losing a regular contribution from the city. Last Friday, Prague’s deputies did not approve financial support in the amount of 650 thousand crowns. A number of coalition representatives were also absent from the vote. However, the city management promises to vote on the grant once more, and this time it will approve the financial support for the festival.
Although the leadership of the capital has long supported Prague Pride, two votes were missing in order for the festival to receive 650,000 crowns for this year’s beginning. Several coalition representatives did not vote at all because they were not present in the Chamber at that time. It was originally envisaged that the financial contribution would be approved in one package together with other subsidies in tourism. However, the deputy chairman of the United Forces Coalition for Prague, Jan Wolf (KDU-ČSL), suggested that the Prague Pride be voted on separately, which many of his colleagues did not expect.
“I did not want to support the proposal, but I did not expect there to be a problem on this point. I did not know that Mr Wolf had proposed that it be voted on separately,” explains Councilor Jan Chabr (TOP 09). “If it had been in the afternoon, the proposal would have been fine. But it was voted on late at night, when we had been sitting there for several hours at a time. I needed to go to the bathroom. If I knew we would not have a majority. , so I would last for a while and I provide the proposal, “explains Chabr, why he did not vote for support.
According to Mayor Zdeněk Hřiba (Pirates), some deputies could not be present due to health reasons. For various reasons, the coalition representatives lacked seven United States representatives, one Prague vote and one Pirates for various reasons.
The only one who voted against was Wolf, who is one of the long-standing opponents of the city’s contribution to such an event. According to him, especially during the coronavirus epidemic, Prague should only give money for events that benefit society as a whole. “Prague Pride is not so beneficial and the participants who care about it will certainly like to take part in it. In addition, these projects bother some members of sexual minorities. We are all the kind God created us, but that does not mean we have to show our sexuality. , someone especially at a time when it can humiliate, ”says Wolf.
According to the author of the proposal, Councilor for Culture Hana Třeštíková (Prague herself), the festival has the potential to attract not only Czech but also foreign visitors to Prague. “We have another tourist season ahead of us, when we will fight for every tourist who comes to the capital and ideally stays overnight. Of course, every sponsorship event must follow current measures,” says Třeštíková.
However, the festival may receive financial support from the city. Mayor Hřib will provide that the municipality will ask about the contribution once again. “We will vote on it again at the April meeting of the Prague City Council,” Hřib explains. Councilor Chabr believes that in a repeated vote, the coalition is already watching to ensure that the proposal receives support.
Even without money from the capital, Prague Pride would find out its annual weekly event in support of the LGBT + community. However, he would have to try to look for the amount of 650 thousand crowns elsewhere, because it is a significant part of the budget. “It would be a significant loss, one of the sub-items, but the festival is funded from a variety of sources. We would have to find either brand new partners or raise money through more fundraising from individual donors,” said Daniel Zikmund, the association’s PR manager.
For a large part of the LGBT + community, Prague Pride is an integral part of the year, supporting queer artists, young people and the fight for their rights. LGBT + activist Kryštof Stupka considers the whole situation to be an attempt to isolate people with a minority orientation. “I am honestly very indignant about what happened at the municipality. Prague Pride has always received a grant from this at times. People do not realize that it is during a pandemic that many people with difficulties turn to Prague Pride and a similar organization,” explains Stupka.
In addition to the Prague Pride festival, whose support from the municipality is still uncertain, the capital will spend 15 million crowns this year on subsidies in tourism. The money is intended for congresses and conferences or for an event outside Prague. For example, the deputies approved a contribution of 560 thousand crowns for the reconstruction of the Battle of White Mountain or 308 thousand crowns for the annual Forum 2000 Conference.