LilMtnCbn
03-12-2004, 06:56 AM
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1115181.htm
Romania draft law all but bans foreign adoptions
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(Adds details of the legislation, paragraphs 5)
BUCHAREST, March 11 (Reuters) - Romania approved draft legislation on Thursday
that will all but ban international adoptions, following criticism from the
European Parliament for violating an EU-imposed ban on foreign adoptions. The
ex-communist Balkan country -- slammed by European Union officials for a
corrupt adoptions system which often gave babies to the highest bidder -- hurt
its chances of joining the wealthy bloc in 2007 as planned when it sent 105
children to Italy in December.
"Under the new law, a family from abroad can adopt a child only if they are
second-degree relatives of the child," Gabriela Coman, head of Romania's Child
Protection and Adoption Authority, told a news conference. Second-degree
relatives refers to grandparents and siblings.
According to the new legislation children can be adopted by families from
abroad only after every attempt was made to enable them to stay with their
families or be placed with Romanian families.
The legislation forbids non-profit organisations taking any role in
international adoptions and stipulates sentences of up to seven years in jail
for those who illegally act as intermediaries.
Romania froze foreign adoptions in 2001 after the EU urged it to draft new
legislation on child protection. The ban, which was repeatedly extended,
angered thousands of foreign couples stranded mid-way in the process.
After the 1989 fall of communism, Romania had to deal with about 100,000
unwanted babies, a tragic legacy of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu who had banned
contraception and abortion.
Many foreigners rushed to adopt them and about 50,000 children were sent abroad
until the 2001 ban.
Coman said the new legislation was likely to be approved by parliament in May
and the ban would stay in place until the child protection laws could be
enforced, probably in 2005.
Officials said last month that Italy, Spain and the United States had the
largest number of adoption applications pending.
Around 37,000 children are still institutionalised and about 5,400 are up for
adoption.
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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
Romania draft law all but bans foreign adoptions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
(Adds details of the legislation, paragraphs 5)
BUCHAREST, March 11 (Reuters) - Romania approved draft legislation on Thursday
that will all but ban international adoptions, following criticism from the
European Parliament for violating an EU-imposed ban on foreign adoptions. The
ex-communist Balkan country -- slammed by European Union officials for a
corrupt adoptions system which often gave babies to the highest bidder -- hurt
its chances of joining the wealthy bloc in 2007 as planned when it sent 105
children to Italy in December.
"Under the new law, a family from abroad can adopt a child only if they are
second-degree relatives of the child," Gabriela Coman, head of Romania's Child
Protection and Adoption Authority, told a news conference. Second-degree
relatives refers to grandparents and siblings.
According to the new legislation children can be adopted by families from
abroad only after every attempt was made to enable them to stay with their
families or be placed with Romanian families.
The legislation forbids non-profit organisations taking any role in
international adoptions and stipulates sentences of up to seven years in jail
for those who illegally act as intermediaries.
Romania froze foreign adoptions in 2001 after the EU urged it to draft new
legislation on child protection. The ban, which was repeatedly extended,
angered thousands of foreign couples stranded mid-way in the process.
After the 1989 fall of communism, Romania had to deal with about 100,000
unwanted babies, a tragic legacy of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu who had banned
contraception and abortion.
Many foreigners rushed to adopt them and about 50,000 children were sent abroad
until the 2001 ban.
Coman said the new legislation was likely to be approved by parliament in May
and the ban would stay in place until the child protection laws could be
enforced, probably in 2005.
Officials said last month that Italy, Spain and the United States had the
largest number of adoption applications pending.
Around 37,000 children are still institutionalised and about 5,400 are up for
adoption.
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
