Call on the Authorities for the Return of the Two Romanian Children in London to their Natural Family
Romanian Patriarchate – July 2016
The Romanian Patriarchate has learned with concern about the critical situation of Florin Barbu and Claudia Racolta, a Romanian family settled in London, the custody of whose children, Diana (8) and Andy (5), has been given by court decision to a British gay couple.
The Church constantly supports the traditional family as the natural environment for giving birth, bringing up and educating children in the spirit of fundamental moral values. As such, we consider that the Romanian family must be supported in order to respect the right of the two minor children to be together with their natural parents.
In this regard, the protection solution chosen by the British authorities contravenes the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989, and ratified by Romania through Law 18/1990. Thus, in accordance to article 20, paragraph 3, when considering (protection) solutions, due regard shall be paid to the desirability of continuity in a child’s upbringing and to the child’s ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic background.
The Romanian Patriarchate appeals to the Romanian state to request the British authorities to reconsider the case and find a solution that takes into account the fundamental right of the two minor children to be brought up and educated in their natural family.
Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate
