Lithuania: More than 5,000 people took part in Vilnius Pride march

More than 5,000 people took part in the Vilnius Pride march in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on 1 July 2023, The Baltic Times reports. March participants deplored Lithuania’s slow progress in ensuring the rights of sexual minorities. Ajus Jurgaitis, co-founder of the Trans Autonomija association and one of the organisers of the march, expressed hope that a law on civil unions would be passed in Lithuania soon. He stressed that equal rights were not the subject of some "big debate," but something that everyone deserves. The march was attended by Vilnius mayor Valdas Benkunskas of the conservative Homeland Union (TS-LKD), as well as members of the liberal Freedom Party, including Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska and MP Tomas Vytautas Raskevicius, chair of the parliamentary human rights committee.