Galery

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Anastasia Balezdrova

"The Foundation is not a party in the case of the custody of Maria. A prosecutor's decision has entrusted her custody to "The Smile of the Child" and it will continue to apply it until the final judgment," Panagiotis Pardalis, who is in charge of public relations at the Foundation, tells GRReporter.

He adds that the task of the court is to determine the best solution in terms of the interests of the child. "Each case is unique. The court takes into account all factors before deciding whether to place the child at a foundation or give him or her up for adoption."

Pardalis explains that the judicial authorities obtain information on the child's condition from a report drawn up by a social worker at the Foundation by prosecutor's order. "This report is part of the documentation of the case and the judges consider it before deciding where to place the particular child in custody."

GRReporter contacted the representative of the Foundation in connection with the case of the custody of Maria, who was found in a Roma camp last October. Until the end of the trial and the final decision on her custody, she will remain at "The Smile of the Child" as stipulated by the court in Larissa on 14 January.

The case for custody of little Maria had been initiated by her alleged parents, the Roma couple from Farsala in whose house the child was found. After a postponement at the request of their defenders who wanted their customers to attend the trial, it was postponed again about two weeks ago.

According to a report in the Greek daily Ethnos, this time the request had been submitted by the Bulgarian consul in Athens, who had appeared in court in Larissa accompanied by a lawyer. He had presented a certificate signed by the Ambassador of Bulgaria and officially declared the request of the Bulgarian state to place Maria in custody of a Bulgarian home for abandoned children. After this turn of events, the judge and prosecutor had unanimously decided to postpone the case for 18 March.

Commenting on the claims filed by the Bulgarian Agency for Child Protection to place little blond Maria in a Bulgarian home for abandoned children, the public relations expert at "The Smile of the Child" points out that a frequent change of environment does not have a positive impact on any child. "Our experience shows this. But in the end, the important thing is to find the best solution for the child" states Pardalis.

What is your opinion on Bulgaria's request to get custody of Maria? We await your votes in our poll on the issue.