VISBY. Budapest Pride will be held tomorrow despite Viktor Orbán's ban.

Now the Green Party is demanding that the government break its silence about the pride parade.

– The government must stand up for the rights of LGBTQI people, says spokesperson Amanda Lind.

Hungary, under the leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has attempted to ban Budapest Pride from being held.

But the parade is cancelled nonetheless because the mayor of the capital defies the will of the prime minister.

Politicians from several European countries will participate in the parade to show their support. The Green Party is sending several representatives, including EU parliamentarian Alice Bah Kuhnke.

Now, the Green Party's spokespeople Amanda Lind and Daniel Helldén are demanding that the government show its open support for Budapest Pride. In a letter to the government, the spokespeople write that freedom in the EU is now being tested.

– LGBTQ people in Hungary who are now fighting for their rights need solidarity and support from all over Europe. It is absurd that people living in the EU should not have the right to express who they are and love who they want. This is a government that wants to erase the existence and space of LGBTQ people in the public sphere. This is not acceptable and the Swedish government must be very clear about this.

Warns of consequences: “Neo-Nazi groups”

In March this year, EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz (M) was asked in parliament what she was doing to ensure that the pride parade was not banned in Hungary.

The minister responded that Sweden should be a strong voice for the rights of LGBTQI people and that the government shares the concern about the deteriorating situation in Hungary.

On Friday Viktor Orbán warned that there could be legal consequences for anyone participating in the pride parade.

Amanda Lind says that the situation ahead of Budapest Pride has escalated.

– There will be neo-Nazi groups that will counter-demonstrate. Hungary's Minister of Justice has called around to embassies and threatened ambassadors not to participate in the parade.

"I want to believe that the Swedish government will agree"

The outlet points out that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also urged the Hungarian government to change its mind about the parade, after she had previously advised her commissioners against participating.

– There are about 70 parliamentarians who will be present at the parade, Spain's Minister of Culture, representatives from the French government, we see mayors from several major European capitals who will be present. I want to believe that the Swedish government will agree with these protests and we want to urge them in the strongest possible way to do this, says Amanda Lind.

A number of representatives from your party and other parties will be present and participating, but you will not be there?

– No, my schedule didn't allow it. But we have Alice Bah Kuhnke from the European Parliament, we have several members of parliament who are there and there are several from other parties but not from any Tidö party, as far as I know, which is remarkable.

The government's response: Patience is running out

EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz writes in a comment to Aftonbladet that she is unable to be in Hungary on Saturday. She further writes that the ban is another step away from Europe's fundamental values.

"The government's patience has run out. We are clearly opposing the developments in Hungary. For example, we are pushing for not a single euro from the EU budget to go to countries that violate the principles of the rule of law," continues Jessica Rosencrantz.

"The government is taking up the fight for people's right to love who they want, be who they want and show it, throughout Europe. At Pride, we should celebrate love, not be forced to protest for the right to show it."