The adoption of children from Bulgaria is at a standstill because of the Maltese authorities’ refusal to acknowledge Bulgarian medical certificates, adoption agencies have complained.

The issue has complicated matters for prospective adoptive parents as Bulgaria is one of the few countries ready to send its children for adoption in Malta and cooperation with other countries is still in its very early stages.

The concern was flagged by prospective adoptive parent Desiree Spiteri, who helped set up an adoption agency last year with advocate Josette Sultana after finding so many doors to adoption closed.

Dr Sultana explained that Bulgaria is signatory to the Hague Convention of Adoption, as is Malta. Agencies are encouraged to work with other Hague Convention countries because this provides more safeguards against human trafficking and means the system is regularised.

Malta does not accept children with HIV or Hepatitis B and C but the convention does not require a medical certificate for the latter and Bulgaria does not provide it. As a result, the Maltese authorities are requesting an additional test for Hepatitis C before the Central Authority gives the green light for the adoption to proceed.

Besides the test results listed in the Bulgarian medical certificate, the health authorities are also requesting additional ones to be carried out by a private laboratory, delineating the methodology used in the testing process.

As a result, Malta has gained somewhat of a bad reputation with Bulgaria, with the country’s agencies decrying the fact that the Maltese authorities seem to have “adopted an anti-adoption policy”, Dr Sultana said.

Everyone is feeling very frustrated and angry at the stalling procedures

The cost involved in adopting from Bulgaria ranges from €12,000 to €14,000, making it more affordable than adopting from Russia at about €38,000 to €45,000 in fees, or from the US, at around €65,000.

Ms Spiteri said: “Why shouldn’t low income families be given the chance to adopt? It’s good that we have free IVF but those who fail to conceive often turn to adoption and not everyone will opt for IVF. Everyone is feeling very frustrated and angry at the stalling procedures.”

Prospective adoptive parents, she said, did not mind paying for the additional medical tests. However, the tests needed to be carried out after the adoption was concluded as the prospective parents could not simply take the children – at that stage still wards of the State – out of the institution to a private medical clinic.

“I understand that additional tests should be undertaken when in doubt but it should be the exception not the rule. It seems as if the Maltese government does not trust the Bulgarian government,” Ms Spiteri said.

Meanwhile, the Maltese Central Authority which regulates adoption and the Superintendent of Public Health are locked in stalemate.

The problem, Dr Sultana explained, was that Central Authority director Carmen Buttigieg had decided to stop signing the documents needed by the prospective adoptive parents to send to Bulgaria.

The issue has been pending since December 2014 with government departments bouncing responsibilities between each other. “Bulgaria is a good option for many since it accepts single applicants as well as couples and the services and fees are not as expensive as America and Russia. Travelling distance and accommodation expenses are very reasonable,” Dr Sultana said.

“Many prospective adoptive parents find this as a good option.  The waiting time is considerable but with things being stuck here in Malta, they are losing opportunities.”

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