ROMANIA-NORWAY, jointly for the Bodnariu children

The drama that hit Bodnariu family, whose children were taken by the Norwegian authorities, stirred up waves of emotion, indignation and large-scale protests in Norway, Romania, United States of America as well as in many other cities in the world. With the common goal of bringing this case into the attention of Oslo’s authorities and equally for the consideration of the international bodies which protect the fundamental human rights and liberties, a group of Romanian citizens decided to initiate the following address. It will be directed to His Royal Majesty Harald V of Norway, the Prime Minister Erna Solberg, the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the UNICEF President Maleeha Lodhi.  

If you were impressed, revolted by this drama and you want to make your voice heard, if you wish that Bodnariu family would get their children back as soon as possible and such abuses would cease to exist, we invite you to join us in this endeavor by signing this petition.

Your Majesty,

Your Excellencies,  

We submit this document to you with all due deference and at the same time with the hope that our message, supported by thousands of signatures, would succeed in raising awareness and have the favourable effect that everybody awaits. You have probably learnt, from the stories already covered by the international press, about the terrible drama that the Romanian-Norwegian family Bodnariu is currently going through.

In November 2015, the Child Welfare Service of Norway (Barnevernet), alongside the local judicial authorities decided to take into custody the five children of the Bodnariu’s family, over concerns of maltreatment. Both the separation act of the children from their family – a moving scene which would make any person be overwhelmed by tears and revolt – as well as the justification of this cynical act go beyond reason and are not acceptable in a civilized society, in a world guided by laws and emotions.

All the existing evidence in this case show, beyond any doubt, that we are confronted with an immense abuse which violates fundamental human rights – related to families and children. The causes invoked in this matter concern the brutal abridgment of confessional rights, freedom of thought and speech.

All these acts flagrantly contravene to the international documents signed by Norway, as The European Convention of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 8 of the latter stipulates that the member states oblige themsleves to respect the child’s right to his identity, including citizenship, name and family relationships, as they are granted by law, with no illegal interference. Equally important and flagrantly breached by the Child Welfare Service of Norway  is article 2 of the First Protocol of the European Convention  of Human Rights, a fundamental document for human freedom and dignity:” No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.”

The Bodanarius case is, regrettably, not singular. There are more and more signals from families of Romanians, Lithuanians and other nationalities who denounce exaggerated – even abusive – acts of the authorities, whose real mission should be the protection of children rights and not the family violently separation. These are the grounds of the riots taking place in Romania, Norway, United States and various European countries, of the street protests and demonstrations in front of Norwegian embassies, the call to action on social networks and of the indignation of the media.

We appeal to reason, lawfulness and humanity in order to stop these practices which have no connection to democracy, civilization or emotions. We count on the utmost support of your Excellencies as well as of the institutions you represent to give the Bodnariu family and the other families in similar situations the right to life and happiness and furthermore, to end such  abuses from this point forward.

MIHAI GÎDEA ŞI ADRIAN URSU

Mihai Gîdea si Adrian Ursu    Contact the author of the petition