There were 26 children adopted by parents in Malta last year, Family and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia announced this afternoon.

Of these, eight children were in institutions in Malta while 18 were brought over from Albania, Slovakia and Russia.

Briefing journalists at the Department for Social Welfare Standards, Dr Farrugia said that 13 children were adopted from Russia, another four from Slovakia and one from Albania.

At the moment, he added, there were five children from Slovakia, six from India and another from Albania in the process of being matched with parents in Malta.

Talks with adoption authorities in Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Chile and Vietnam were also underway.

On the slow and often arduous process experienced by parents trying to adopt, Dr Farrugia said that the ministry was in regular contact with different countries in an attempt to come to an agreement which would make it possible for parents in Malta to adopt children.

He insisted, however, that coming to such agreements did not solely depend on the Maltese government as it was often the other countries who stalled the process.