Kinder Eggs case: Romanian journalist supports ‘The Sun’ feature – It wasn’t a frame-up!

The Romanian translator who accompanied the British journalists with ‘The Sun’ for the feature about kids working to make Kinder Eggs at home says there was not frame-up. He also says there are lots of people in the region who work on the black market for the mentioned plant, digi24.ro informs.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutors with Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) have ordered the commencement of a criminal investigation in rem related to allegations of trafficking of children mentioned in an investigation conducted by the British newspaper ‘The Sun’, which exposes the situation of a family in the Romanian north-western town of Carei allegedly having had their children work even 13 hours a day making toys for an international chocolate confectionery producer.

According to the source, former journalist Mihai Belu, who accompanied the British journalists in Romania, says there was no frame-up. He said for digi24.ro: “I can tell you there was a thorough investigation according to journalistic standards. All they’ve said was the way they said.” Belu also says many Carei locals work for the plant without any documents.

The Labour Inspectorate has also launched an investigation.

The Satu Mare Directorate for Child Protection has announced it will offer counselling to the minors included in the newspaper’s feature.

According to a feature released by the British newspaper ‘The Sun’ Romanian kids aged six get 22p an hour as “slave” labour making Kinder Egg toys.

They are in families toiling 13 hours a day at home in Romania to assemble the treats for chocolate giant Ferrero. Among them are Timea Jurj, 30, her husband Christian, 41, children Patrick, 11, Hannah, six, and Timea’s niece Tamara, also six. They are paid 20 Romanian Lei — around £3.80 — for every 1,000 completed eggs they deliver to a factory in Carei near the border with Hungary, the newspaper wrote.

Soon after the story was released, the mother claimed that everything is a frame-up. The mother denied the whole story.

Timea Jurj claims the journalists told her they want to promote the Kinder Eggs and want to find out how they are produced and she fell into their trap. “Nothing is true. It was a frame-up, they told the children to stay in certain positions, they were told to have a photo together with me. You can see in the picture the children are smiling. In no way they worked on the Kinder Eggs or in no way I exploited them. They told me they want to promote the Kinder Eggs, as they are expensive in England and want to find out how they are produced from the beginning to the very end. I fell into their trap.”

On the other hand, an independent auditor conducted in May this year, on behalf of Ferrero, checks at Romexa suppliers and at sub-contractor Prolegis and concluded that the firms observe the company’s Code of Conduct, Ferrero Romania informs after the information released by ‘The Sun’. The company says, in a release, it will investigate ‘The Sun’ claims and has already taken measures against non-compliant practices.

photo: The Sun

accodentblack marketbritish journalistscareichild protectionCode of conductDIICOTfeatureFerreroframe-upinvestigationKinder eggslabourLabour InspectorateMihai BeluRomexaslave labourThe SunTimea Jurjtranslator
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