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:
- Accept Association
- Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives
- Society for Contraceptive and Sexual Education
- Rise-OUT Association
- Center for Community Organizing
- VULGAR Association
- MozaiQ LGBT Association
- Philosophy Babes Association
- Centrul FILIA Association
- Incluziune pe Bune Association
- Institutul Repere pentru Democratie
- Narațiuni S.A.F.E.
- TransCore Association
- ARAS – Asociația Română Anti-SIDA
- Centrul de Resurse Juridice
- ActiveWatch
- [H] Brașov Association
- APADOR-CH
- A.L.E.G.
- Centrul pentru Inovare Publică
- Centrul de Informații GENDERDOC-M
- ASTRID Association
- Civic Group Parents for Equal Rights
- Asociația Moașelor din România
- Civic Group Artemiss
- A.R.T. Fusion Association
- Queer Sisterhood Cluj- Hilltop Org
- One World Romania Association
- ILGA-Europe
- Forbidden Colours
- IGLYO — International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation
- SEXUL vs BARZA Association
- Power of Humanity Foundation,
- Rainbow Ignite
- ASUR – Asociația Secular-Umanistă din România
- Identity.Education
- Campaign Against Homophobia
- Bi+ Equal, the pan-European bi+ Umbrella Association
- Spectrum
- ACT – Against Conversion Therapy
- Miliția Spirituală
- Háttér Society
- Zagreb Pride
- Gender Stream
- IOTA Association
- OII Europe – Organisation Intersex International Europe
- NGO FulcrumUA.
- Tbilisi Pride
- Iele-Sânziene Association
- Italia Gay Network – Gaynet
- F-SIDES
- Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale Mario Mieli
- Stronger Together Skopje
- Association for Health Policies and Rights
- LGBTI organisation Deystvie, Bulgaria
- Reclaim
- Asociația SENS POZITIV
- Împreună Agency
- Greenpeace Romania Foundation
- Rădăcini Urbane Association
- EFOR – Expert Forum Association
- Prisme, Belgium
- kolekTIRV | For the rights of trans, intersex and gender variant persons (Croatia)
- Let’s Talk about Non-Binary, Belgium
- European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA)
- Pride Netwerk Nederland
- National LGBTQ+ Federation (NXF), Ireland
- LSVD+ – Federation Queer Diversity
- Hirschfeld Eddy Foundation
- Iniciatíva Inakosť
- INSPIREUP Association
- CeRe: Resource Center for Public Participation
- No Labels /Pride Haarlem The Netherlands
- Riga Pride
- Código Não Binário (Brazil)
- Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti
- Discriminatie.nl
- Égalité – LGBTIQ+ staff association of EU institutions
- Lithuanian Gay League
- Oslo Pride
- Council for Global Equality
- St. Gallen Pride, Switzerland
- Równość.org.pl Foundation
- Global Project Against Hate and Extremism
- AnA – Society for Feminist Analyses
- Torino Pride
- Associazione Quore Aps
- Comitato EuroPride 2027
- Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation
- Skövde Pride Sweden
- TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia
- Pride Barcelona
- Outright International
- Pride The Hague
- Queer aan Zee, The Hague
- CIVICA Association
- Trans pride limerick
- Brasília Orgulho
- Eco Ruralis Association
- InterPride
- Choice Association (Asociația Choice)
- Qnest, Satu Mare
- Asociația Club Sportiv Ocazional
- Asociația de Educație pentru Sănătate Mintală
- Center for Partnership and Equality (CPE)
- Știri Bazate
- Associação LGBTQIAPN+
- Comigo-Ninguém-Pode (Brasil)
- Hungarian Helsinki Committee
- Thessaloniki Pride
- Carlow Pride Festival
- The Out Mag (Ireland)
- Asociatia Plural
- Asociatia Feminism Romania
- HOSI Linz
- Linzpride
- Agedo nazionale Italia
- LGBT komiteen (Denmark)
- PINK Embassy Albania
- Tineri pentru Tineri 120.Therapy Cooperative
- Wit
- Association Spectra
- Trans Network Balkans
- cavaria
- GEYC
