Kidnaping of children in Moldova becomes alarming phenomenon, ombudswoman

A number of 28 children were illegally taken out of Moldova during five years. The parliamentary ombudswoman for children’s rights Tamara Plamadeala said the abduction of children becomes an alarming phenomenon. In a news conference at IPN on January 14, the ombudswoman presented the case of a Moldovan woman who remained without her two children after her Italian husband took them out of the country without her consent.



“This figure should worry us and we certainly must take measures for these children to return home,” said Tamara Plamadeala. According to her, Moldova does not appropriately protect the children when these risk or are being taken out of the country. Many countries know how to protect their children even if they have to break international treaties for the purpose. The children are mainly taken out of the country by one of the parents who does not have the documents needed for crossing the border and does not have the consent of the other parent.



Mariana Negara is divorcing a citizen of Italy with whom she has two children aged 8 and 10. The children have dual nationality, of Moldova and of Italy. Last July, the woman came to Moldova together with the children on vacation, with the husband’s consent. Afterward, they agreed that the children will go to a school in Chisinau and their father visited them regularly.



However, later the man filed a complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Moldova, asking that a criminal case over kidnapping of children should be started against the woman. The institution didn’t ascertain such an offense. After approaching the Ministry of Labor Social Protection and Family of Moldova, the children’s father obtained a decision by which the woman was obliged to immediately take the children to the father’s home in Italy. Mariana Negara said the man gave bribe for getting such a decision, which he later transmitted to the courts of law in Italy. For their part, these courts decided that the two children should stay with their father. The woman stated that the authorities didn’t take into account the wish of the children, who said that they want to live with their mother when they were questioned by representatives of the Chisinau Child Rights Protection Division.



Tamara Plamadeala said that such situations, when the parents are in conflict, create psychological stress in children. The mother can now see her children seldom. A court hearing will take place in Moldova this month to decide the children’s domicile. The Italian court is to pronounce on the issue in March.