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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced plans to ban the country's annual Pride parade, stating in a radio interview Friday that "this is over" in reference to the LGBTQ festival held in Budapest.
Despite Orban's remarks, event organizers stated they still intend to proceed with the 30th Pride parade, scheduled for June 28. They described the event as a test of Hungary's democratic freedoms.
The announcement comes as Orban's ruling Fidesz party faces growing competition from an opposition movement in the lead-up to national elections. The prime minister also signaled plans to target organizations receiving foreign funding, including independent media and civil society groups.
Orban referenced the return of U.S. President Donald Trump in his decision, stating that "there's no longer international protection" for the parade. In past years, ambassadors from Hungary's allies, including former U.S. Ambassador David Pressman, have participated in the event to show support for the LGBTQ community.
Hungary has enacted several policies in recent years restricting LGBTQ representation. These include requiring booksellers to wrap books containing LGBTQ themes, limiting minors' access to literature on the subject, restricting non-governmental organizations from providing sex education in schools, and barring same-sex couples from adopting.
Pride organizers stated on their website that the LGBTQ community "has been the government's target for years" and that this year's event will indicate whether authorities "are trying to silence those that think differently."