Oradea Pride Parade to Persist Despite City Hall's Objections, as Pericipitated by Organizers
The Oradea Pride March 2021, scheduled for July 26, has been banned by Oradea City Hall. This decision comes despite the event organisers, the ARK Oradea Association, fully complying with legal provisions.
The ban is part of a wider context in Romania, where LGBTQ+ rights face significant challenges despite some legal protections. The government and local authorities often restrict or block public Pride marches due to social and political pressures, even when organisers meet all legal requirements.
The ARK Oradea press release emphasizes the right to free expression and free assembly for Romanian citizens, including those from the LGBTI community, as fundamental rights. The release states that the local administration's actions in refusing to hold the Oradea Pride March is a direct violation of the Constitution of Romania.
Iulian Dițiu, president of ARK Oradea, describes the systematic refusal to hold the march as a model of exclusion of a part of the local community and a deliberate strategy to obstruct the visibility of LGBTI people in public space. He compares the situation in Oradea to what is happening in Hungary, where the Orbán government has severely restricted civil liberties for the LGBTI community.
The march will begin in front of the headquarters of the Bihor County Council and end at the Oradea City Hall. The organizers have announced that the march will take place as a peaceful protest. However, the ARK Oradea press release does not indicate any legal action being taken against the local administration for their actions.
The denial of the request is the third consecutive year that the local administration has allegedly violated fundamental rights. The city hall's denial sets a dangerous precedent at the national level. The ARK Oradea press release asserts that fundamental rights cannot be annulled through administrative decisions.
The event will start at 15:30. The ARK Oradea Association is organizing the Oradea Pride March. The comparison between Oradea and Hungary is made by Iulian Dițiu, citing local news outlet eBihoreanul.ro. The ARK Oradea press release does not specify any international organizations or individuals supporting their cause, nor does it mention any alternative location or date for the Oradea Pride March.
- The ban on the Oradea Pride March 2021 highlights a pattern of politics and general-news events in Romania, where local authorities often restrict public gatherings supporting LGBTQ+ rights, such as the Pride marches, due to social and political pressure, even when legal requirements are met.
- On the heels of their third alleged violation of fundamental rights, the ARK Oradea Association's press release states that the continued denial of the Oradea Pride March not only undermines the Constitution of Romania but also sets a dangerous precedent for the restriction of free expression and free assembly, contributing to the marginalization of the LGBTI community, reminiscent of the situation in Hungary.
