Three European parliamentarians in favor of Romania’s reopening the international adoptions process managed to gather 400 signatures from their colleagues and consequently paid a visit to Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, in the attempt to convince him that a foreign country would make a better choice for the kids.

International adoptions were an issue that brought constant European criticism upon Romania. Now, when all is stopped, the European Parliamentarians reconsider the problem.

Their argument - the lower level of minors’ trafficking - isn’t confirmed by any official body. Children from the Balkans are still a source of income for flesh smugglers.

The problem of “international adoptions” changed its name to “European adoptions”. Jean Marie Cavada, Claire Gibault and Francois de Combert, European parliamentarians, claim they have 408 signatures from their fellow parliamentarians, all asking for the international adoptions interdiction to be lifted, at least for Europe.

The figure, if true, would be huge, since the European Parliament has 732 members. The Romanian Government and the Romanian Office for Adoptions (ORA) stand against the European initiative.

“The Government maintains its position. Romania has for the moment 1,450 children that could be adopted and 2,300 adoption demands. In its protection system, France has 1.7% of children institutionalized, while Romania has an acceptable 1.65”, says Teodora Berti, ORA manager.