Article from Cotidianul

Romanian officials come out to deny the MDRI Report:

Article from Cotidianul
Part I: By Valenina Pop
Article from Monday, May 29, 2006

THE SCANDAL REGARDING THE CHILDREN AND THE LOBBY FOR INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS

The American press once again took up the issue of institutionalized children in Romania in order tolobby for the opening of international adoptions. The reopening of international adoptions byRomania seems to be the motivating factor in the media campaign launched via the publication of thereport from the American NGO Mental Disability Rights International with regards toinstitutionalized children. Jean Marie Cavada, French parliamentarian for the EU said, "Thesituation regarding the orphans in Romania remains worrisome. The new law forbidding international adoptions has blocked the adoption of approximately 40,000 children who have no family to take them in Romania." The NGO (MDRI) made an appeal to the European Commission to "recognize and to take a stand concerning the violation of the rights of the children in Romania".

MANIPULATION BY THE MEDIA

The declarations by the Romanian authorities who have confirmed the existence of the situation in Braila in the past, did nothing but throw gasoline on the fire. The Washington Post published an article entitled "A Report with Proofs concerning Abuses in Romania" in which the MDRI report isdescribed as presenting something from the present. But the Romanian authorities reaction says that this actually presents a confusion. It has to be remembered that the European Commission report will confirm 2007 as the date of accession to the EU. The New York Times presented an article on the front page with material from the Associated Press in which is absent the exact description of the location in Timisoara. Only Bogdan Panait was sited and he declared that he was shocked at what he saw in 2005.

THE AMERICAN LOBBY AT THE EU

The most militant Congressman for the reopening of international adoptions is Jeb Bradley who came to Brussels and Strasbourg in order to lobby the European Commission and the European Parliament. He is also supporting a concrete case, that of the Schaafer family, who want to adopt a child from Romania and who had also earlier adopted one in 2000. As a result of the law which forbids international adoption from Romania (January 2005) approximately 200 files for adoption by Americans were rejected by the authorities in Bucharest. The American Congressman promoted a resolution regarding consultations with respect to the relaxing of this drastic measure which forbids international adoptions from Romania. The initiator of this resolution is Republican Charles Smith, co-president of the Helsinki Commission.

BARONESS EMMA NICHOLSON SAYS 'THE REPORT IS VERY POORLY DOCUMENTED'

She was asked a series of questions: Is this media campaign by the U.S. destined to unblock international adoptions from Romania? "I can't speculate. I didn't author the article. However, I am very confused as to why this report was so poorly documented. For example, the recommendation to not create any more new institutions is senseless. We are waiting for the evaluation by the experts from the Ministry of Health. What really matters is the condition of these people. If there are places where practices are not correct, then we need to improve them. On this in clear concerning this American report: a large part of it speaks about things that no longer exist. That is what is so surprising.... We can't overlook the timing of this issue in that only a week before the decision of the Commission with respect to Romania's accession, is when the report came out. Romania is European. Her laws are European. It must be understood that the European Union and the United States are in a profound state of disagreement about many issues. Our laws and history are not the same as theirs. We have a great deal of respect for the United States and democracies should cooperate. But this does not mean that we must agree. Assisting children is one area where there are profound differences. We do things differently. TheUnited States wants something with which Europe cannot agree. "Why does Romania have this image in which children are mistreated?" Unfortunately, Romania is one of the top countries with regards to human trafficking. This same effort which was made in Romania, including with regards to the rights of the child, must also be done in Bulgaria. Romania is a model and must remain so. This position must be consolidated even further. These couples who want to adopt a child must understand that their countries also have many institutionalized children. In the U.S. there are 250,000 institutionalized children. Why do these people come to Romania? It is a question that must be asked. The same situation exists in France. There are approximately 3,000 children under 3 years of age in institutions. Each one of them onaverage, spends 13 months in an institution in France. Every country has a system of child protection which involves institutions. What is important is that we must be sure that it is appropriate for each child and that these institutions are of high quality. This has happened inRomania. Congratulations, Romania. You should continue just like this."

Part II:
by Oana Craciun, Radu C. Munteanu, and Sergiu Balascau

OLD AND ERROR-FILLED INFORMATION IS NOW BROUGHT OUT INTO THE OPEN

In four of the six counties mentioned in the report, the authorities have already denied the information published by the Americans. These authorities believe that the report has come from theAmerican lobby which is lobbying for the unblocking of international adoptions.

GLARING FALSEHOODS AND HUGE LIES

The president of the County Commission in Suceava, Orest Onofrei, declared that the results of the report with regards to the orphanages in Siret and Sasca Mica, represent glaring falsehoods and lies. He maintains that these two institutions that were included in the MDRI report were verified by the EU inspectors who said that there was an evident improvement made to the conditions fordisabled children. He said, "I believe that this report has a different motive. First, it may be anattempt to force the Romania government to open international adoptions, or it may be an attempt to give a black mark to Romania just before the EU report on Romania."

CONFUSION OR BAD FAITH

Mihai Gafencu, vice president of the organization Save Romanian Children and director of the Louis Turcanu Children's Hospital in Timisoara, expressed his doubt with regard to the "good intentions"behind this MDRI report. Gafencu said, "On February 18, MDRI representatives arrived in Timisoara and entered into this section of the hospital. The confusion is that they thought this was a center for children with mental disabilities, but it is a section for nutritional recuperation. What was written is nothing more than either a great confusion or ill-will." This section of the hospital has 59 children who were born below normal birth weight and are between the ages of one month and one year. None are considered to be abandoned. Gafencu maintains that these little ones are well cared for and have sufficient medical personnel available to care for them. Gafencu further remarked that,"The presentation of the situation in our country and in Timisoara in such an unfavorable light is nothing more than an attempt to force the Romanian authorities to open international adoptions and at the same time to put Romania in a bad light before the European Union."

AN O.K. FROM THE EU REGARDING BOTOSANI

The Podriga Sanitarium in Botosani was checked out by a commission of specialists from the EU who did not find any particularly grave problems. Dr. Nicolae Vlad, director of the psychiatric hospitals and coordinator of activities for the sanatoriums in Botosani county affirmed, "Onlysomeone with ill-will could say that Podriga did not make progress."

Part III:
by A. Luca

ADOPTIONS BY GANGSTERS STOPPED AT THE REQUEST OF EUROPEAN FORUMS

In October of 2001, a moratorium was introduced which suspended all international adoptions. This measure was taken following solicitations by the European Parliament because the old law contained many grave gaps which favored crime and corruption. The Romanian Government, however, reserved the right in exception situations, to approve international adoptions. On February 6, 2004, the Romanian Government completely stopped all international adoptions. This was a response to the grave accusations which Baroness Emma Nicholson made concerning adoptions from Romania.