Balgarianovinite.com Sofia Pride is both a celebration and a protest because LGBTQ+ people continue to have to prove that they are no different from anyone else, Kaloyan Kalinin of the Sofia Pride association and the Plovdiv-based Plovdiv [viewpoint] Foundation said at the opening of the event here on Saturday.
“We are all the same in one respect – we want to be loved, accepted, free and part of a society that does not judge us,” Kalinin said.
He and Nadezhda Tsekulova, a representative of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, officially opened Sofia Pride in Sofia’s Knyazheska Garden. Participants are expected to take part in a march later in the day.
“To reach a moment of pride, we first need to reach a moment of self-acceptance and to have equal rights with those around us,” Kalinin added.
Tsekulova said that this year the event is supported by companies, institutions, foundations and embassies that stand behind the right of every person to live freely and with dignity.
“This year, companies, institutions, foundations and embassies are standing with us in support of every person’s right to live freely and with dignity,” she said.
Tents of organizations supporting the event were set up throughout the designated Pride area.
Sofia Pride, which was coordinated with the Sofia Municipality, began with a concert in Knyazheska Garden near the [recently dismantled] Soviet Army Monument and is scheduled to continue with a procession through central Sofia
Participants will march from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. accompanied by sound-equipped platforms.
There was a heightened police presence in the area around Knyazheska Garden. Entry to the Pride event was controlled through several access points where participants underwent security checks.
Sofia Pride took place on the same day as the Family March, an event organized in support of the traditional Bulgarian family. The Family March was scheduled to begin at St. Nedelya Square and conclude with a concert at St. Alexander Nevsky Square as part of the Month of the Family initiative.
The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said in an official statement on Saturday that it opposes the holding of Sofia Pride 2026 and expresses its disagreement with the ideas and messages promoted through the event. Sofia Pride Opens with Calls for Equality, Freedom and Acceptance 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-13 14:15:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law