Scores of Slovak mothers protest in front of British Embassy in Bratislava

A peaceful demonstration attended by about 150 people, mostly mothers with babies in prams and push-chairs, was held in front of the British Embassy in Bratislava in support of a Slovak woman, Ivana Boorová, who is fighting to get her children back after they were seized by social services in the United Kingdom, the TASR newswire reported on September 18.

Boorová and her husband have worked in the UK for several years. After they took one of their children to the doctor with a genital infection two years ago, social workers were notified that the illness might be related to a ‘non-accidental injury’. The authorities then took the couple's children, a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old boy, away from them. The parents have reportedly been fighting to get them back ever since.

The case was recently publicised by private broadcaster TV JOJ, which broadcast a documentary about the couple's struggle.

Several protesters voiced criticism of the Slovak authorities for their alleged idleness in the case. One of the banners seen at the gathering compared the procedure used by the British authorities to kidnapping.

The protesters also made paper aeroplanes. “They should bring to mind [the fact that] that the sons of Ivana Boorová, Martin and Samuel, want to return home in an aeroplane [with their parents],” said one of the protesters, as quoted by TASR.

Meanwhile, Slovak MPs discussed the case in parliament. Members of the parliamentary human rights committee talked about making an inspection at the Centre for International Legal Protection of Children and Youth, which is responsible for such cases. They also invited Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák and Labour Minister Ján Richter to attend a session of the committee.

The case has also attracted the attention of the President’s Office, TASR wrote.