Gheorghe Flutur

Gheorghe Flutur in 2007

Gheorge Flutur (born 8 July 1960 in Botoșana, Suceava County) is a Romanian politician, member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was previously a member of the National Liberal Party, which he resigned from in November 2006. Between December 2004 and November 2006, Flutur was the Minister of Agriculture in the Tăriceanu government (as a Liberal Party member). In December 2006, Flutur joined the new Liberal Democratic Party as vice-president in December 2006.

Homophobic comments

Flutur generated controversy in June 2007 when, as the vice-president of the Liberal Democrats, he was asked how he would react if a party colleague of his was gay. Flutur replied by stating that, "We haven't thought about this but, personally, I would firmly be one who would support colder relations with this person. In this way, Christian morality must be the one that we should follow."

In a Cotidianul editorial published in reaction to Flutur's remark, Costi Rogozanu accused the politician of "fundamental hypocrisy" and homophobic populism.

In June 2007, during Bucharest's annual GayFest, Flutur also stated in a TV interview that he has "a poor opinion" of LGBT people, and that he disapproves of the liberties they have obtained.

The National Council for Combating Discrimination, Romania's equality body, condemned Flutur's "homophobic discourse and inappropriate language".

2010 floods

During July 2010, Gheorghe Flutur, the president of Suceava County Council, told the Mediafax news agency that his region was one of the worst hit in the country in the morning of the 29th as he coordinated local relief work in his flood-affected county.