The Oradea City Hall and Mayor Florin Birta have refused to authorize the Oradea Pride march for the fourth year, according to Adevarul. Organizers from the ARK Oradea and ACCEPT associations submitted notifications in the earliest permitted timeframe and proposed over 100 route variants. Municipal authorities rejected all 115 proposed routes, citing public utility works and other already approved public events. In addition to administrative reasons, this year’s municipal response included a new justification concerning complaints from local citizens regarding the violation of social conduct norms and traditional morals.
Oradea City Hall Rejects All Proposed Routes for Pride March
Iulian Dițiu, president of ARK Oradea, stated that the justification confirms institutionalized homophobia and direct discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community, as reported by Hotnews. Octavian Haragoș, spokesperson for the Oradea City Hall, noted that the local police received thousands of notifications from ordinary citizens regarding the event, according to Hotnews. Meanwhile, sociologist Adrian Hatos from the University of Oradea explained to Hotnews that Bihor County is part of the Romanian “Bible Belt,” a region where religious influence is particularly high and political legitimacy is often gained through opposition to sexual minority movements.
Religious Leaders Issue Joint Statement on Human Dignity
Six religious leaders in Bihor County published a joint declaration titled On the Dignity of the Human Person, as detailed by G4Media. The document does not explicitly mention the march, but asserts that every person possesses inherent dignity while maintaining that homosexual practices are incompatible with Christian teaching.
The statement was signed by:
- Sofronie Drincec, Orthodox Bishop of Oradea
- Böcskei László, Roman Catholic Bishop
- Virgil Bercea, Greek-Catholic Bishop
- Bogdán Szabolcs János, Reformed Bishop
- Ioan Moldovan, President of the Pentecostal Communities in Oradea
- Mihai Micula, President of the Baptist Communities in Oradea
The signatories emphasize that no one has the right to hate or despise others, while maintaining that sexuality finds its proper expression exclusively within the communion of a man and a woman united through holy marriage.
Organizers Defy Ban and Proceed With July 25 Demonstration
Despite the official prohibition, organizers announced that the Oradea Pride march will take place on July 25, with participants gathering at 4:00 PM in front of the Oradea City Hall, according to Adevarul. Organizers plan to challenge the local administration’s decision in court.
The event has drawn extensive international attention and high-profile backing. According to G4Media, Hadja Lhabib, European Commissioner for Equality, and Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Justice, issued solidarity messages supporting the right to peaceful assembly. Representatives from nine accredited diplomatic missions in Romania—including the Ambassador of the Netherlands and the Ambassador of Portugal—alongside the People’s Advocate Institution, plan to monitor the demonstrations. Furthermore, Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest, and Emmanuel Grégoire, Deputy Mayor of Paris, publicly condemned the city hall’s decision and expressed support for the local LGBTQ+ community.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.