Ombudsman Anatolie Munteanu urges authorities to authorize the gay pride parade that is planned to take place on May 2 in Chisinau and to support the adoption of the Law on prevention and combating of discrimination. In a public address issued today, the ombudsman is calling on the authorities to combat homophobia, extremism and intolerance in relation to the LGBT community, Info-Prim Neo reports. Anatolie Munteanu cites a recommendation adopted on 31 March 2010 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Committee of Ministers recommends member states to take appropriate measures at national, regional and local levels to ensure that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. Law enforcement authorities, too, should take appropriate measures to protect participants in peaceful demonstrations in favor of the human rights of LGBT persons from any attempts to unlawfully disrupt their peaceful assembly. Anatolie Munteanu thinks that the experience of May 2008, when gay pride parade participants were forced by angry demonstrators to remain onboard their buses generated repercussions that were incompatible with a state based on the rule of law. The ombudsman also recalled a number of national laws and international conventions which obliges Moldova to respect fundamental human rights, including of the LGBT community.