Brussels MPs to take part in banned Budapest Pride

Several Brussels parliament members will attend the banned Pride march in Budapest on 28 June, hoping that the presence of foreign officials will improve security and increase the chances that the march takes place peacefully.

LGBTQ+ rights have been under attack in Hungary and the request for support during the banned Pride march comes directly from the mayor of Budapest, Bruzz reports.

The Pride parade in Budapest was banned in April by a new law introduced by prime minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party. Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony disagrees with the ban and announced his intent to go ahead with the march.

Lotte Stoops (Groen), vice-president of the Brussels parliament, said she and her party would be present at the march and she also submitted a proposal to send an official parliamentary delegation.

The parliament's executive committee did not respond to her request for an official delegation, but members of parliament are allowed to go to Budapest on their own initiative to show their support for the Hungarian LGBTQ+ community.

“This is a voluntary association of Brussels parliamentarians who are going to Pride in Budapest on a voluntary basis and at their own expense,” Stoops told Bruzz.

“We must stand shoulder to shoulder with the Hungarians - not only to support them on the day itself, but also to show Orbán that he will not get away with his relentless attacks on the human rights of his people.

"He’s trying to open the door to the rest of the far right in Europe, and we cannot allow that. Resistance is fought on the streets. That is why we must go to Budapest in June. I will be there."

When the mayor of Budapest was in Brussels, he told Stoops that he hoped as many international delegations as possible would be present.

“The more officials from abroad, the greater the chance that the march will be able to take place and proceed peacefully,” Stoops said.

She also emphasised that parliament is not paying for the trip and that any member of parliament who wishes to go to Budapest will do so at their own expense.

“The foreign ministry has not issued any negative travel advice for Hungary, so we can go ahead as planned,” Stoops said.

“We will respect all rules there; for example, we will not attend other demonstrations. The intention is to protest peacefully.”

As a precaution, the parliament will inform the Belgian embassy in Budapest of the presence of the members of parliament.

Other MPs who hve so far announced their intent to attend include Pascal Smet (Vooruit.brussels) and Gilles Verstraeten (N-VA).