Some 5,000 people have held a mass meeting in Suceava (north-eastern Romania) on Saturday, in support of Bodnariu family in Norway after the Norwegian social services have taken in December the Bodnariu family’s five children and have allegedly opened the international adoption procedure for them.
During the meeting, the participants have chanted slogans such as ‘Norway, stop kidnapping the children’ and ‘Stop Barnevernet’.
In Arad (western Romania) also some 1,500 people have taken part to a march in support of Bodnariu family, accompanied by a brass band and by the city mayor.
In another development, the Bishop for Northern Europe, Macarie Dragoi, who is paying a visit to Norway, said about the Bodnariu case that the forced separation of children from their parents cannot be a decision in the children’s interest and made an appeal to authorities to find legal and humanly solutions for the family.
The Bishop has had talks with Orthodox Romanians living in Norway.
The Bishop said he does not want to issue judgements regarding the administrative decisions, however he expressed his hope that the competent authorities, aiming the interest of children, would find the suitable solutions so that the children find peace and calm within the healthy family environment.