The warning follows a decision by Hungarian police on June 19 to prohibit the annual LGBTQ+ march planned for Saturday, citing a law passed in March prioritizing child protection over assembly rights.
In response to the legislation, both the U.K. and Canada updated their travel advisories for Hungary, cautioning that participants might face criminal charges or fines under new laws banning Pride parades and allowing police to use facial recognition to identify attendees.
On May 26, a coalition of at least 16 EU countries — including the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Denmark, France, Sweden, and Austria — issued a joint statement condemning the Pride ban and urging the European Commission to take action.
On Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released a video statement urging Hungarian authorities to reverse their decision. “I call on the Hungarian authorities to allow the Budapest Pride to proceed,” she said. “To the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary and beyond: I will always be your ally.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán quickly responded, criticizing what he termed EU overreach. He stated that the European Commission should “refrain from interfering in the law enforcement affairs of member states,” adding that it is an issue “where it has no role to play.”
In a Friday interview with Hungary’s Kossuth Radio, Orbán reaffirmed his stance and warned of “legal consequences” for those defying the ban. “We are adults, and I recommend that everyone should decide what they want, adhere to the rules … and if not, they should face the clear legal consequences,” he said.
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