The ongoing lobby efforts. For full background, read Romania for Export Only, the untold story of the Romanian ‘orphans’

Published by www.victorbostinaru.ro on Tuesday 18 January 2011 (informal translation)

On Monday night, European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg has discussed an initiative of 62 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), mostly Italians, to re-open international adoptions to the European Union. Although both the debate and the resolution aimed at the general situation of international adoptions in all 27 Member States, in the MEPs speeches, Romania was the country mentioned almost exclusively with the criticism that its legislation does not allow international adoptions. The MEPs resolution will be put to vote tomorrow, 19 January.

The European Parliament debate comes less than a year after the petition of the Italian organisation Amici dei Bambini “, which called for the reopening of international adoptions by Romania, the proposal was closed by MEP Victor Bostinaru (PSD) and with the agreement of all members of the Petition Committee of the European Parliament. (more…)

During a conference organized by French Members of the European Parliament Claire Gibault and Jean-Marie Cavada on 9 November 2009, Francois de Combret announced his desire: a European Adoption Agency.

The last page of ‘Romania for Export Only’: 

Francois de Combret:

 I HAVE A DREAM. I see children with their arms lifted looking for love. And far away I see families with their arms wide open. We must have a European adoption agency.

Next year there will be free movement of persons, goods and services. If intercountry adoption is not allowed it means children cannot travel. It is like an iron curtain.’

At the time, I had no idea what he meant.

But now, it came out.

urce:http://www.jurnalul.ro

BATTLE OF INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS REACHES PEAK
The European Commission Forges Official Report
Autor: MIRCEA OPRIS 3 decembrie 2010

The European Commission has falsified an official report, released only partially exactly one year ago, during the Conference on Challenges in Adoption Procedures in Europe, in Strasbourg from 30 November to 1 December 2009. Exclusively for Jurnalul National several experts testified about the pressure put on their work by high-rank European Commission officials, in order to get to the conclusion that there is a need for the establishment of a European Adoption Agency. The stake of the new agency: creating a “market” for European adoptions in which Romania would be forced to reopen international adoptions. Behind this decision are pro-adoption lobbies from France, Italy, Spain and the United States. (more…)

This weekend I was in Berlin. The Stiftung Kindernothilfe had invited me to their yearly media prize award. This prize is for German journalists whose work shows light on the breaching of children’s rights. The reason for my invitation was that the TV movie ‘Search a Child, Pay Cash’ by filmmaker Golineh Atai – and based on my book – was nominated for this year’s award. (more…)

Informal translation of summary: Sonntaz Exportgut Kind

EXPORT COMMODITY CHILD   FULL ARTICLE

HOPE This Ethiopian Family has given a son to Germany. The father hoped that it would be better off there. That’s why he lied. Adoption agencies and orphanages claim such lies – at the intercountry adoption market.

ONE IS MISSING

(more…)

Unofficial translation – via Fabriquée en Corée 
Published in France-Soir, Nicole Korchia, May 3, 2010.

The figures are secret and taboo in France: officially 2% of adoptions are doomed to fail in France. But unofficially, the specialists speak bluntly of one out of ten … Our investigation. (more…)