RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

International Support for Bodnariu Family

Romanian communities in Western Europe mobilize over Bodnariu case.


Warning: Trying to access array offset on null in /home/web/rri.ro/public/wp-content/themes/rri/template-parts/content.php on line 53
International Support for Bodnariu Family
International Support for Bodnariu Family


Warning: Trying to access array offset on null in /home/web/rri.ro/public/wp-content/themes/rri/template-parts/content.php on line 98
, 11.01.2016, 13:34

Late last week, thousands of Romanians took to the streets, both in the country and abroad, to voice their solidarity with a mixed Romanian-Norwegian family whose children were taken two months ago by the Norwegian social services and placed in foster care. An international adoption procedure has also been started for the five children of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu, a nurse and an IT engineer respectively. Aged between four months and nine years, the children were taken from their parents after the principal of the school attended by the older daughters reported that the couple subjected their children to physical punishments. Moreover, as members of the Pentecostal faith, the Bodnarius are suspected of what Norway defines as religious indoctrination of children.



For Romanians, a mostly Orthodox nation with strong religious sensibilities and a firm commitment to traditional values, which include minor physical punishments as part of the common education methods, such accusations are absurd. And the idea of a new-born being taken from his mother and from a functional family to be placed in an institution, together with his siblings, is completely unacceptable. The participants in the support rallies held in Bucharest, Cluj, Timisoara and Constanta described the Norwegian legislation in this respect as ridiculous, outrageous, or even Nazi-like.



Soundbite: “This is unacceptable. No other state has legislation of this kind. The children belong in their families, they dont belong to the state.



Outside Romanian borders, in Rome, Madrid, Brussels or The Hague, thousands of people demanded the involvement of the Government and Presidency in the Bodnariu case. Here is the president of the Federation of Romanian Associations in Spain, Daniel Tecu:



Daniel Tecu: “I have a direct message for the President: we are the ones who get presidents elected, and we are also the ones who bring them down if they fail to protect our interests. And I also have a message for all politicians in Romania: the diaspora has awoken.



This is an emotional response, and one that has no grounds, because the Romanian authorities have already reacted to the case. The Foreign Ministry and the Ambassador of Norway to Bucharest, Tove Bruvik Westberg, have agreed to work together to resolve the issue. Also at the initiative of the Romanian diplomacy, the Child Welfare Authority sent a proposal to the corresponding body in Norway regarding the integration of the five children in their uncles family in Romania, and an answer is expected within days. A delegation of Parliaments Committee on Romanian communities abroad will travel to Norway next week. In turn, the Bodnariu family challenged in court the measures taken by the Norwegian authorities.


(translation by: Ana Maria Popescu)

Finance Minister Tánczos Barna (Photo: gov.ro)
Today in the News Friday, 04 April 2025

Aid for companies affected by US tariffs

Romania, just like other European economies, is preparing for the new tariffs announced by the Trump administration.   The government in...

Aid for companies affected by US tariffs
Meeting of the defence minister Angel Tîlvar and the NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte
Today in the News Friday, 04 April 2025

Meetings on defence

  The international hysteria about the US abandoning NATO is unwarranted, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the foreign ministers of...

Meetings on defence
Photo: Paul Teysen / unsplash.com
Today in the News Thursday, 03 April 2025

New US Customs Duties

The US president Donald Trump has made a decision, experts predicted long ago, namely new tariffs on all imports to US. In a speech delivered at the...

New US Customs Duties
Ilie Bolojan la Conferința „
Today in the News Thursday, 03 April 2025

Romania, towards the OECD

Romania is on track to complete all the technical analyses for joining the OECD in the next twelve months or so. The announcement was made by the...

Romania, towards the OECD
Today in the News Wednesday, 02 April 2025

EU reacts to US tariffs

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Brussels has prepared “a strong plan” containing “firm countermeasures” to counter...

EU reacts to US tariffs
Today in the News Wednesday, 02 April 2025

Romania is getting ready for elections

Romania had in 2024, like in no other year in three and a half decades since it transitioned to democracy, four rounds of elections – local,...

Romania is getting ready for elections
Today in the News Tuesday, 01 April 2025

Romania marks one year since joining Schengen

Romania marks one year since partial accession to the Schengen area.   Romania marks one year since joining Schengen with air and sea borders, a...

Romania marks one year since joining Schengen
Today in the News Tuesday, 01 April 2025

Sea Shield Exercise

  “Sea Shield 25”, the largest multinational training exercise organised this year by the Romanian Navy, has begun in Constanta. A roughly...

Sea Shield Exercise

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company