The embassies of 22 countries operating in Budapest — including major European powers but not the United States — expressed their concern in a joint statement over a law recently passed in Hungary banning the LGBT+ community's Pride march, Reuters reported Friday.

Last week, the National Assembly of Hungary adopted a proposal by lawmakers from Prime Minister Viktor Orban's party, Fidesz, to ban the Pride march, arguing that it could be harmful to children.

Critics, meanwhile, say the law effectively restricts the freedom of assembly, and the passing of the legislation has already sparked protests.

"We, the undersigned embassies, are deeply concerned about the legislation ... that results in restrictions on the right of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression," reads the statement by the 22 embassies, including those of France, Germany and the U.K.

The embassies cited the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and stated that they are "committed to respecting, protecting and fulfilling the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics."

The United States was not among the signatories.

Joint statement on the Hungarian legislation restricting the right of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression pic.twitter.com/EaQ32MUfIi

— Julia Gross (@GERinHUN) March 27, 2025

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed the embassies' statement.

"We are a sovereign state," Szijjarto said. "We have never accepted, and will not accept in the future either, that anyone from outside should try to tell us how we should live here."

He emphasized that it is the Hungarian parliament that "will decide which laws it adopts and which it does not."

Prime Minister Orban, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump facing an unprecedented challenge from a new opposition party ahead of the 2026 elections, has criticized the LGBT+ community. In recent weeks, he has pledged as part of his campaign to crack down on foreign funding of independent media and NGOs in Hungary.

According to the law, police may use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend the event and impose fines on participants.

Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Michael O'Flaherty has said he was "very concerned" about the new law.

Organizers said they intend to go ahead with this year's Pride march — scheduled for June 28 — despite the ban.

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