Prestigiacomo wants ban lifted

(AGI) - Rome, Jan. 8 2004 - "I am pleased to hear that next week an EU team
of experts will visit Bucharest to evaluate the package of legal
measures taken by the Nastase government to comply with The Hague
convention on the protection of minors. I am sure that premier Adrian
Nastase and the undersecretary to child protection, Gabriela Coman, have
done all they can in order to have the moratorium on the international
adoptions of Romanian children revoked. Adoptions were suspended in 2001
by the Union". The Minister for Equal Opportunities, Stefania
Prestigiacomo, said this. She added that "during my recent visit to
Bucharest during which Italy obtained an exception to the moratorium
thanks to a special decree, the authorisation for 105 international
adoptions, I was able to verify with my own eyes, during my meetings
with prime minister Nastase and undersecretary Coman, that the Romanian
authorities want to set up new regulations that protect the children in
their country as well as transparent procedures for international
adoptions". From an international point of view "I am certain that the
EU experts will verify the progress that has been made and I am sure
that the ban on international adoptions in Romania will soon be lifted".

http://www.agi.it/

Publication date: 2004 Jan 8

Countries: Italy, Romania

Organizations: Lobby to Re-open Romanian Adoptions (2001- )