A German citizen bought a child from a family in Gorj, for 8,000 lei – Glasul Aradului

A German citizen managed to illegally remove a four-year-old child from the country, whom he bought from a poor family in Gorj for 8,000 lei. This alarming situation has blown up the child protection system and raised serious questions about corruption at the level of local and national authorities.

According to reports, the German national used a forged power of attorney to facilitate the transfer of the child across the border, and investigators suspect that bribery of a notary and customs officers was involved. The scandal erupted when employees from the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) Gorj, during a routine visit, noticed the absence of the child from the family who was under their supervision. When questioned, the parents unreservedly admitted that they had sold the child. This case quickly reached the table of the higher authorities, attracting the attention of the Minister of the Family, Natalia Intotero, who declared that all necessary measures will be taken for the child to be repatriated and reintegrated in a safe environment. Meanwhile, the child’s siblings have been placed on welfare, raising concerns about their long-term welfare.
This situation is not an isolated case in Romania, where the trafficking of minors has been repeatedly reported as a serious problem. In 2019, DIICOT sued a similar case in which a mother sold her child for the sum of 2,100 lei. Although the charges of child trafficking were changed to charges of forgery in court, the case highlighted the vulnerability of children to exploitation and the dire need for adequate supervision.

source: redactia.ro