Joint statement of solidarity with Oradea Pride, Romania

We, the signatory organisations, express our solidarity with ARK Oradea and the LGBTIQ+ community of Oradea, and call on the local authorities to respect the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of Romania, the European Convention on Human Rights, and European Union law by allowing the Oradea Pride March 2026 to take place in complete safety.

According to information that has appeared in the public sphere¹, local authorities in Oradea intend to reject all the routes proposed by the Pride organisers, even though the notification was submitted within the legal deadline, and the organisers have identified more than 100 route options. Proposing a simple meeting point cannot replace the right to organise a march and does not represent a real alternative to the exercise of freedom of assembly.

After four consecutive years in which the Pride march has not been able to take place, this can no longer be a matter of administrative or logistical difficulties. The fact that the same outcome is reached year after year points to the existence of a practice that prevents the effective exercise of freedom of assembly. A right that can be repeatedly restricted, regardless of the solutions proposed by the organisers, risks remaining merely theoretical.

The Pride march is more than an event for the LGBTIQ+ community. It represents the exercise of fundamental rights that belong to everyone: freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and the possibility to participate, peacefully and visibly, in public life. That is why the repeated restriction of such an event’s organisation does not concern only LGBTIQ+ people, but raises a broader issue regarding the protection of civic space and respect for democratic freedoms. When an authority constantly prevents a community from assembling peacefully, a principle that concerns all citizens is affected.

In recent years, the restriction of Pride marches has become, in several European states, an indicator of democratic backsliding and the weakening of the rule of law. Romania should not follow this direction. Oradea risks becoming, after Budapest, the only city in the European Union where authorities repeatedly block the organisation of a Pride March, with consequences including for Romania’s image as a state that respects European values. Such a precedent is incompatible with the values on which the European Union is founded: human dignity, freedom, equality, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.

Respect for religious freedom cannot justify restricting other people’s right to assemble and express themselves peacefully. In a democratic society, these rights coexist and enjoy the same protection.

The Oradea Pride march is not directed against anyone and does not limit anyone’s rights. The organisers are not requesting preferential treatment, but rather the application of the same rules that allow the organisation of any other public assembly in the municipality of Oradea.

We call on the Mayor of the Municipality of Oradea, the municipal commission for authorising public assemblies, and all competent institutions to allow the Oradea Pride March 2026, on 25 July, to take place along a route that ensures the effective and real exercise of the right to peaceful assembly, under conditions of safety. We also call on central authorities to monitor this situation and guarantee the respect of fundamental rights across the entire territory of Romania.

Protecting freedom of assembly in Oradea means protecting democracy in Romania. When the freedom of one community is repeatedly restricted, the freedoms of all are affected.

¹ Article from Bihoreanul, July 13, 2026, “March, to the outskirts! City Hall wants to block the Oradea Pride March again this year”:

https://www.ebihoreanul.ro/stiri/mars-la-periferie-primaria-vrea-sa-blocheze-si-anul-acesta-marsul-oradea-pride-2 03498.html

Signatory organisations:

1. Accept Association
2. Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives
3. Society for Contraceptive and Sexual Education
4. Rise-OUT Association
5. Center for Community Organizing
6. VULGAR Association
7. MozaiQ LGBT Association
8. Philosophy Babes Association
9. Centrul FILIA Association
10. Incluziune pe Bune Association
11. Institutul Repere pentru Democratie
12. Narațiuni S.A.F.E.
13. TransCore Association
14. ARAS – Asociația Română Anti-SIDA
15. Centrul de Resurse Juridice
16. ActiveWatch
17. [H] Brașov Association
18. APADOR-CH
19. A.L.E.G.
20. Centrul pentru Inovare Publică
21. Centrul de Informații GENDERDOC-M
22. ASTRID Association
23. Civic Group Parents for Equal Rights
24. Asociația Moașelor din România
25. Civic Group Artemiss
26. A.R.T. Fusion Association
27. Queer Sisterhood Cluj- Hilltop Org
28. One World Romania Association
29. ILGA-Europe
30. Forbidden Colours
31. IGLYO — International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation
32. SEXUL vs BARZA Association
33. Power of Humanity Foundation,
34. Rainbow Ignite
35. ASUR – Asociația Secular-Umanistă din România
36. Identity.Education
37. Campaign Against Homophobia
38. Bi+ Equal, the pan-European bi+ Umbrella Association
39. Spectrum
40. ACT – Against Conversion Therapy
41. Miliția Spirituală
42. Háttér Society
43. Zagreb Pride
44. Gender Stream
45. IOTA Association
46. OII Europe – Organisation Intersex International Europe
47. NGO FulcrumUA.
48. Tbilisi Pride
49. Iele-Sânziene Association
50. Italia Gay Network – Gaynet
51. F-SIDES
52. Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale Mario Mieli
53. Stronger Together Skopje
54. Association for Health Policies and Rights
55. LGBTI organisation Deystvie, Bulgaria
56. Reclaim
57. Asociația SENS POZITIV
58. Împreună Agency
59. Greenpeace Romania Foundation
60. Rădăcini Urbane Association
61. EFOR – Expert Forum Association
62. Prisme, Belgium
63. kolekTIRV | For the rights of trans, intersex and gender variant persons (Croatia)
64. Let’s Talk about Non-Binary, Belgium
65. European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA)
66. Pride Netwerk Nederland
67. National LGBTQ+ Federation (NXF), Ireland
68. LSVD+ – Federation Queer Diversity
69. Hirschfeld Eddy Foundation
70. Iniciatíva Inakosť
71. INSPIREUP Association
72. CeRe: Resource Center for Public Participation
73. No Labels /Pride Haarlem The Netherlands
74. Riga Pride
75. Código Não Binário (Brazil)
76. Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti
77. Discriminatie.nl
78. Égalité – LGBTIQ+ staff association of EU institutions
79. Lithuanian Gay League
80. Oslo Pride
81. Council for Global Equality
82. St. Gallen Pride, Switzerland
83. Równość.org.pl Foundation
84. Global Project Against Hate and Extremism
85. AnA – Society for Feminist Analyses
86. Torino Pride
87. Associazione Quore Aps
88. Comitato EuroPride 2027
89. Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation
90. Skövde Pride Sweden
91. TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia
92. Pride Barcelona
93. Outright International
94. Pride The Hague
95. Queer aan Zee, The Hague
96. CIVICA Association
97. Trans pride limerick
98. Brasília Orgulho
99. Eco Ruralis Association
100. InterPride
101. Choice Association (Asociația Choice)
102. Qnest, Satu Mare
103. Asociația Club Sportiv Ocazional
104. Asociația de Educație pentru Sănătate Mintală
105. Center for Partnership and Equality (CPE)
106. Știri Bazate
107. Associação LGBTQIAPN+
108. Comigo-Ninguém-Pode (Brasil)
109. Hungarian Helsinki Committee
110. Thessaloniki Pride
111. Carlow Pride Festival
112. The Out Mag (Ireland)
113. Asociatia Plural
114. Asociatia Feminism Romania
115. HOSI Linz
116. Linzpride
117. Agedo nazionale Italia
118. LGBT komiteen (Denmark)
119. PINK Embassy Albania
120. Tineri pentru Tineri 120.Therapy Cooperative
121. Wit
122. Association Spectra
123. Trans Network Balkans
124. cavaria
125. GEYC