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Conceptually supports the moratorium on the adoption of children abroad; Petraviča angry

Saeima On Thursday, July 9, conceptually supported the amendments to the law, which envisage prohibiting the adoption of children abroad from September 1 until the amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child and other regulatory enactments on the adoption of children abroad enter into force, the Delfi portal service.

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However, the Minister of Welfare does not agree Ramona Petraviča (KPV LV), noting that the moratorium is not supported and expressing concern that the development of the new regulation may take years, and in the end the regulation may not be adopted at all. For dozens of children, this can mean staying in institutions.

“Data show that in the last two years children from Latvia have been adopted only to ASV – the only country in the world that has not accepted YEAR Convention on the Rights of the Child. The risks identified in the current adoption regime suggest that we are currently unable to ascertain whether adoption abroad is in the best interests of these children, nor do we know what is going on with these children. Already in the commission, judging by the adoption of children abroad, we have concluded that we want more control over the return of Latvian citizens to life outside the borders of Latvia, and until the identified shortcomings are eliminated, new adoption cases should not be initiated, “said the Saeima responsible for the draft law. Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and Public Affairs Artuss Neighbor.

It is planned that the ban on the adoption of children abroad will be in force from 1 September 2020. An exception would be made for cases of adoption proceedings already initiated, which provide information about the child to be adopted.

In that case, the laws and regulations in force at the time of the adoption process would apply. An exception could also apply in cases where the other spouse’s child is adopted or the child is adopted by his or her relatives.

The proposed amendments also envisage a delegation to the Cabinet of Ministers to develop a methodology for determining the best interests of the child. At present, there is no legal procedure in Latvia for assessing the best interests of the child, including how this is done in cases of foreign adoption, as indicated in the annotation to the amendments.

In order to make the relevant changes, it is necessary to make amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child and the Law “On the Time of Entry into Force of the Family Law Part of the Revised Civil Law of the Republic of Latvia of 1937 and the Procedure for Application”.

The neighbor has previously pointed out that the issue of adoption of children abroad has come to the attention of the Human Rights Commission already in March this year after the Ombudsman’s Office found cases when orphans’ courts decide to terminate a child’s stay in a foster family in Latvia and place them in a childcare institution.

In order for the amendments to enter into force, they must be considered in the Saeima in two more readings.

As the Delfi portal was informed by the Ministry of Welfare, Petraviča stated: “Until the last moment, I hoped that the Saeima deputies would follow common sense and not submit to the populism of certain politicians who raise their ratings at the expense of children. Currently, only children over nine Children with health problems, as well as three or more children of the same family (brothers / sisters) are of little interest in Latvia for a long time, and there is very little interest in children with moderate or severe disabilities in Latvia. life and a loving family. The introduction of a moratorium threatens to ruin the fate of many children. “

Although there is no consensus in the coalition on the adoption of foreign children, Petraviča will continue to look for ways to ensure that the moratorium is not adopted or relaxed in the second reading.

The MoW points out that the meetings of the Development Committee of the Coalition Parties on the issues of foreign adoption of children will continue under her leadership. The next meeting is scheduled for 21 July, and an agreement was reached at a meeting on Wednesday, 8 July, to draw up a roadmap with measures to be taken to improve the adoption system, whether or not the ban on foreign adoption is adopted.

“In the Development Committee, we received proposals from parties not only for foreign adoption, but also for the improvement of local out – of – home care services. The Ministry of Welfare these proposals will be compiled within a week so that they can be submitted to the second reading. Many proposals can be implemented immediately, at the same time, many issues are already in the process in the context of the reform of the Orphans’ Court, “the Minister noted.

Meetings of the Development Committee are chaired by Petraviča and are attended by Krišs Lipšāns, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry (KPV LV), Atis Zakatistovs (KPV LV), Dace Rukšāne and Vita Anda Steel from “Development / FOR!”, Linda Ozola and Evita Zālīte-Grosa from the New Conservative Party will represent the “New Unity” Anda Čakša and Karina Ploka, while the National Association Raivis Dzintars and Ieva Preimane, reminds the ministry.

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