Romanian NGOs Criticize Govt Over GayFest Pride Parade

The Association of Christian Journalists and Editors, or AZEC, as well as Provita Association, Christiana Association, the Alliance of Romanian Families and the Group of Reflection for Family Protection warned about the “dangers of homosexuality.”

 

“We have nothing against those people, as long as they stay put and do not go out in the street, and especially, as long as they do not go around pretending their action is normal. What they are doing represents an aggression of the public space. We can talk about their problems. But they should stay put, and not go out in the streets,” said Razvan Codrescu, member of AZEC.

 

Bogdan Stanciu, president of Provita Association, said he filed a complaint in the court against the gay pride parade, arguing the parade defies the Romanian public and moral order.

 

The annual GayFest pride parade was first organized in 2004. The event is organized by the non-profit organization ACCEPT - the country's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organization.

This year’s pride parade will take place in Bucharest on May 24, starting with 17.00hrs (local time).

 

The Bucharest authorities also authorized a counter-rally to the GayFest pride parade, at the request of far right organization “The New Right.”

 

According to the New Right member Mihai Rapcea, the counter-rally will be held on Saturday as well, with some 500 people expected to attend it.