BUCHAREST, ROMANIA — Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ supporters gathered for annual Pride parades in Bucharest, Romania, and Sofia, Bulgaria, on Saturday. Marchers in both cities carried flags, blew whistles, and called for equality during the events.

Romania and Bulgaria do not legally recognize same-sex marriage or civil partnerships. Writer Alina Purcaru addressed the societal context in Romania, stating, "We still have a deeply conservative society, with very strong traditional values. We still live in a patriarchy, sometimes explicit, with a lot of prejudice and a lot of fear." Vlad Viski, president of MozaiQ, described the objective of the demonstrations. "That is why we are taking to the streets today to demand the legalization of civil partnerships." Viski said. "We are talking about essential rights, such as the right to inheritance, hospital visits, medical decisions, and survivor's pension."

Simeon Vassilev, an organizer of Sofia Pride, noted that "Thousands of same-sex couples live together, build homes, raise children, and care for one another in Bulgaria without the right to legal protection or recognition of their relationships." The Sofia Pride event operated under a Different Together theme this year. Both countries ranked last among all 27 European Union countries in ILGA-Europe's 2025 Rainbow Map, which evaluates LGBTQ+ legal and policy landscapes.

Anti-LGBTQ+ rallies also occurred in Bucharest and Sofia on the same day as the Pride parades. In Sofia, a March of the Family rally, established in 2021, was held. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church voiced disagreement with the Pride parade messages and issued a blessing for traditional families. In Bucharest, a nationalist group organized a March for Normality rally.

Both countries joined the European Union in 2007. Prior to their accession, both countries adopted human rights legislation to meet EU standards. Public opinion polls in both countries have historically indicated lower support for LGBTQ+ rights compared to other EU member states.