October 22, 2020
The information was prepared by Jānis Zariņš, Communication Adviser to the Minister of Welfare.
The Saeima’s vote in the second reading in support of the amendments that prohibit the adoption of children abroad until the necessary amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child and other regulatory enactments come into force actually means a complete ban on the adoption of children.
In support of the proposal that the adoption of a child may be transferred to a country bound by the Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption and at the same time Latvia must have a bilateral agreement with this country on co-operation in adoption, impossible because the list of countries that meet such criteria is very short.
Minister of Welfare Ramona Petraviča emphasizes that the deputies voted for a hidden adoption ban: “By supporting the seemingly innocent proposal and changing one word in the law, deputies will effectively deny children Estonia and Lithuania: It is no secret that families in these countries have no interest in children from Latvia “.
Ramona Petraviča emphasizes that the Ministry of Welfare has already prepared a number of proposals to improve the adoption system. Among other things, children who will be adopted abroad are encouraged to extend the term of post-adoption supervision until the child reaches the age of 18.
The proposals will also include a norm that a Foreign Adoption Commission will be established, which will evaluate the possible adoption of a child abroad. Thus, providing increasingly strict evaluation criteria for the adoption of a child abroad.
? Amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child? The Saeima will still be considered in the third reading.
Additional information:
Jānis Zariņš,
Adviser to the Minister for Welfare on communication issues
67021548
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