Romanian politician Remus Cernea, president of the Green Party and elected member of the Lower Chamber on Social Liberal Union (USL) lists, recently said that he wants to initiate a draft law on civil union between both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. The model is applied in several European countries, but his proposal triggered various reactions from Romania's politicians and NGOs.

“We support Human Rights for all citizens. We don’t think certain citizens should be discriminated in any way for any reason, for being women, for belonging to a national or a sexual minority. In Europe a lot of countries already accept civil unions or marriages between same-sex persons,” said Remus Cernea.

However, this announcement triggered several reactions from Romanian politicians, mainly against Remus Cernea’s proposal.

Puiu Hasotti, leader of the Liberal Party (PNL) senators in Romania, said that he has “absolutely nothing” to reproach  homosexuals with as he just sees them as “sick people”. “Mister Deputy Remus Cernea proves himself to be extravagant, to use a peaceful word.  I have nothing to reproach homosexuals with, I just consider them to be sick people. Homosexuality is not a normal condition, it is not a natural relationship, which is why, in my opinion, it has no chance,” said Puiu Hasotti.

Puiu Hasotti’s reaction in return triggered a response from the Romanian non-governmental organization ACCEPT, that intends to request the National Council for Combating Discrimination (CNCD) and PNL to take “immediate” measures against Hasotti’s statements.  “The statement according to which homosexuals are sick people is outrageous, unacceptable,” said Florin Buhuceanu, CEO of  ACCEPT.

The Democrat Liberal Party (PDL) Constanta leader, Senator Gigi Chiru also had a reaction to Remus Cernea’s initiative, but he was more moderate in his speech. “Romania is not yet ready to encourage marriage between same-sex persons and, in my opinion, this topic came up in the public space too early for us. I think this is far too early and we have too many issues that are more important,” said Gigi Chiru, quoted by Mediafax.

The Romanian Archbishop of Tomis Teodosie Petrescu also reacted to the Green Party President’s proposal. He said, for replicaonline.ro, that “if he makes such a proposal, it means he is a man with a confused mind” and that he requires the services of a psychologist and of a priest.

Remus Cernea ran in the general elections of 2012 on Social LIberal Union (USL) lists in College 9 in Constanta county and won an MP seat.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Photoxpress.com)