"I have my personal attitude to this issue [gay parades]. I believe that Moscow does not need it", said Sergey Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow, in his radio interview for the Echo of Moscow radio station, answering the question of a listener.
"I am not talking about the Constitution, legislature. I am saying what I think about it", clarified the mayor.
Answering the question whether or not would gay actions be allowed in Moscow, Mr. Sobyanin said that he had his certain doubts about it. Thus, he has confirmed the policy of his predecessor - Yury Luzhkov who for the previous 5 years and more had followed the policy of groundless and illegal bans of any socio-political actions of LGBT people.
For reference: 53-year old Sobyanin, former chairman of the Russian Government Cabinet's administration, took power as the Moscow's Mayor on October 21st 2010. Ironically, at the same day the European Court of Justice carried out its decision on Moscow gay parades organizers' suits filed in 2006-2008.
The ECJ found illegal the actions of Moscow authorities that had banned gay pride and had refused to authorise it and found them breaking the norms of articles 11, 13 and 14 of the European Convention on the Human Rights.
In spring 2006 Yuri Luzhkov was submitted by the Human Rights Watch organization to the list of shameful persons in the hall of shame due to a series of gay hatred actions in Moscow.
English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes
