Seventeen European Union member countries on Tuesday strongly accused Hungary of violating core EU principles with recently enacted laws targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, deepening a growing rift between Budapest and a majority of the bloc.
These laws, passed in March and April, include provisions that effectively allow for a ban on Pride marches and authorize police use of facial recognition to identify attendees, alongside constitutional changes recognizing only two sexes.
In a joint statement, the 17 nations declared themselves “highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights.” They urged Hungary to revise the measures and called on the European Commission to “make full use of its powers” if Budapest fails to comply. The Commission has the authority to initiate legal action against member states deemed in violation of EU law.
The joint declaration was supported by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden, underscoring significant European disapproval.
The condemnation coincided with a hearing in a long-standing EU process examining concerns that Hungary is at risk of breaching core EU values. While this process could theoretically lead to Hungary being stripped of its voting rights on EU decisions, diplomats suggest there isn’t sufficient support among the 27 member states for such a drastic step.
Hungary’s Minister for European Union Affairs, Janos Boka, arriving at the meeting, asserted, “There is no such thing in Hungary as a Pride ban,” expressing hope that his colleagues would gain a “more nuanced view on the Hungarian legislation.”
However, activists on the ground contend that the measures constitute a de-facto ban. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has publicly discouraged Pride organizers, stating they “should not even bother” this year, and his chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, declared Hungary “does not have to tolerate Pride marching through downtown Budapest.”
Orban’s government, in power since 2010, has frequently clashed with the EU over democratic standards, minority rights, and foreign policy, consistently denying accusations of undermining the rule of law. His ruling Fidesz party defends the measures by claiming the Pride march could be harmful to children, arguing that child protection supersedes the right to assemble.
European Commissioner Michael McGrath, responsible for democracy, justice, and rule of law issues, voiced “serious concerns” about the situation in Hungary. “Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right,” he stated. “It is not a threat to children. It’s not a threat to anyone, and it must be protected and upheld at all times, and so the Commission is examining all of its options.”
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Seventeen European Union countries accused Hungary on Tuesday of contravening fundamental EU values by passing laws that target LGBTQ people, as tensions deepen between Budapest and a majority of member states.
Hungary’s parliament passed legislation in March that creates a legal basis to ban Pride marches there and lets police use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. It also approved constitutional changes in April stipulating that Hungary recognizes only two sexes, male and female.
“We are highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights,” the governments of the 17 countries said in a joint statement.
They called on Hungary to revise the measures and asked the European Commission to make full use of its powers if Budapest does not do so. The Commission can take legal action against member states if it believes they are violating EU law.
The statement was backed by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The declaration came ahead of a hearing on Tuesday in a long-running process where EU ministers examine concerns that Hungary is at risk of breaching core EU values.
The process could in theory lead to Hungary being stripped of its right to vote on EU decisions. But diplomats say there is not sufficient support among the 27 EU member states to take that step.
‘More nuanced view’
Arriving at the meeting, Hungary’s Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka said: “There is no such thing in Hungary as a Pride ban”.
“I hope that after these discussions my colleagues around the table will walk out with a more nuanced view on the Hungarian legislation,” he said.
But activists say the measures amount to a de-facto ban.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Pride organizers “should not even bother” this year, while his chief of staff Gergely Gulyas has said Hungary “does not have to tolerate Pride marching through downtown Budapest”.
Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has repeatedly clashed with the EU and its member countries over democratic standards, minority rights and foreign policy.
Critics have accused Orban of undermining the rule of law, which the Hungarian government denies.
His ruling Fidesz party has said the Pride march could be considered harmful to children and that protecting them would supersede the right to assemble.
European Commissioner Michael McGrath, who oversees democracy, justice and rule of law issues, said on Tuesday there were serious concerns about the situation in Hungary.
“Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right,” he told reporters.
“It is not a threat to children. It’s not a threat to anyone, and it must be protected and upheld at all times, and so the Commission is examining all of its options,” he said.
