Request for LGBTQ Conference in the Hungarian Parliament Denied

Opposition parties Democratic Coalition (DK), the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), Momentum and Párbeszéd requested to hold a conference on the situation of the “LGBTQ community” in the Parliament on September 3, but László Kövér, Speaker of the National Assembly, refused to host the event, citing the need to protect the dignity of the Parliament. Although the conference was eventually held at a different venue, David Pressman, the U.S. Ambassador to Budapest, expressed concern following the speaker’s denial, stating that it “raises serious and concerning questions.”

Four days before the event, the Speaker of the National Assembly responded to a request for a hall by DK chairman Ferenc Gyurcsány at the end of July, Magyar Nemzet reports. “I hereby inform You that I am unable to fulfill Your request for a hall on September 3, 2024, in view of my obligation under Article 2 (1) of Act XXXVI of 2012,” Mr. Kövér wrote. According to the above-mentioned paragraph, the Speaker is responsible for ensuring the exercise of the rights of Parliament, safeguarding the dignity of Parliament, maintaining the order and security of Parliament and organizing the work of Parliament.

The event was nevertheless held on Tuesday at George Soros’ Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, to which the organizing parties invited several ambassadors and participants of the informal meeting of ministers responsible for European affairs in Budapest.

The conference was also attended by David Pressman, known for his regular outspoken criticism towards the Hungarian government. The U.S. Ambassador said: “It is beyond extraordinary to see elected members of a European Union member state’s parliament denied access to parliament itself because they wish to discuss human rights. Denying a meeting space within the parliament to elected representatives of that body raises serious and concerning questions.”

The U.S. Embassy also issued a statement condemning the incident. As the statement reads, the Hungarian MPs who form the LGBTQI+ parliamentary caucus have twice been denied access to parliament to conduct official business.

The embassy is concerned that by this decision the Speaker of the National Assembly is “preventing their access to an institution that is meant to represent the interests of all Hungarians.”

In their past statements and legislation though Hungarian government politicians have made their position clear as far as LGBTQ ideology is concerned. It is a phenomenon that they do not view as a matter of human rights, but as a radical political ideology, a direct threat to family values and our right to protect children from sexual predators. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán recently stated that “there is not the money in the world that would make us put our children and grandchildren in the hands of LGBTQ activists. This is impossible, unthinkable in Hungarian families, the education of children, especially sex education, is always the responsibility of families and parents, and no one can take that away from them, especially not schools,” he said.

Via Magyar Nemzet, Featured image: Pixabay