Pride: Shetty and Brandstötter are coming to Budapest

Numerous European deputies are traveling to Budapest on Saturday to participate in the banned Pride. Among them are NEOS club chairman Yannick Shetty and his colleague Henrike Brandstötter. "Our love is stronger than his hate, and we are Viktor Orbán's nightmare," said Brandstötter on Tuesday in front of journalists in Vienna. Shetty emphasized the special responsibility of deputies, who, due to their immunity, "can more easily afford" to show solidarity.

Shetty: "Personally, I am not afraid"

"I would not advise all 18-year-old Austrians to travel to Budapest," said Shetty. This year's Pride is taking place "under intensified conditions," he noted, referring to the ban on the traditional event. The right-conservative government of Prime Minister Orbán had prohibited the demonstration of the LGBTIQ community on the grounds of child protection. Shetty emphasized that Pride, "despite all the exuberance and celebration, is at its core always a demonstration (...) for equal rights, for human rights."

"Personally, I am not afraid," said Shetty when asked how he prepares for possible incidents. Brandstötter said she would not wear contact lenses. "I have attended many Prides in the last 20 years, it was not always frictionless and I have been hit by tear gas," said the NEOS spokesperson for women and LGBTIQ+. The participation is meant to be a signal to Orbán that the Hungarians are not being abandoned and "that this is not a small community," Shetty emphasized.

Marchetti does not travel to Budapest Pride

Immediately after the decision on the controversial constitutional amendment regarding the Pride ban, SPÖ equality spokesperson Mario Lindner announced in mid-April that he wanted to organize a solidarity trip to the demonstration. His Green colleague David Stögmüller immediately joined this initiative, forming the steering group of the LGBTIQ Intergroup in parliament with Lindner, Brandstötter, and ÖVP General Secretary Nico Marchetti. Marchetti will be the only leader of the Intergroup not traveling to Budapest Pride. As an ÖVP spokesperson further stated to the APA on Tuesday upon request, it is not an official trip of the parliament or the LGBTIQ Intergroup. Shetty said that "many" deputies from the liberal sister parties will also travel to Budapest. The Greens in the European Parliament announced this week that 20 deputies will travel to the Hungarian capital.

Participants face hefty fines of up to 500 euros. Brandstötter said that the Hungarian authorities also want to identify them using facial recognition. "Of course, we will pay the fines," said Brandstötter. However, they want to donate double the amount to NGOs that advocate for LGBTIQ+. The Budapest Pride is not only about the community but about defending democracy and human rights themselves. The ban on Pride is "an attack on our European fundamental values" as well.

Shetty recalled that under an FPÖ Chancellor Herbert Kickl, Austria would have faced a similar development as in Hungary. Kickl wanted to reverse marriage equality, for example. Through the NEOS government participation, "the opposite happened," and for the first time, a chapter for LGBTIQ issues was anchored in a coalition agreement, including more legal clarity for rainbow families and the ban on so-called conversion therapies. For the first time, there are also clear words against homophobia in migrant communities, focusing on youth work in this regard. In a clear reference to the Greens, who previously governed with the ÖVP, Shetty said that NEOS "not only wave the rainbow flag at the parade" but also implement the corresponding demands in government responsibility.

Shetty questioned about rejection of messenger surveillance by Scherak and Krisper

NEOS club chairman Shetty was also questioned at the press conference about the rejection of the planned surveillance of messenger services by his two deputies Niki Scherak and Stephanie Krisper. The original plans have been "significantly sharpened," for example in the area of parliamentary control, said Shetty. "This is a draft that corresponds to the government agreement. The NEOS parliamentary club supports this project and will vote accordingly," he emphasized. "Two deputies have publicly stated that they do not want to give their approval for very specific reasons," he added, referring to constitutional spokesperson Scherak and justice spokesperson Krisper. According to Shetty, this is not an issue within the coalition. Regarding the loyalty of NEOS, he does not need to "convince" the ÖVP and SPÖ, emphasized the club chairman. "You are welcome to ask my colleagues Philip Kucher and August Wöginger about this."

(APA/Red)

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