Malta in talks with at least 12 governments over inter-country adoption agreements

The Maltese government is in talks with at least 12 governments over inter-country adoption agreements, Family Minister Michael Farrugia informed parliament this evening.

Following up on questions raised by backbencher Anthony Agius Decelis to Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella, Farrugia listed a number of countries which the government is in talks with over adoptions.

Cambodia, the minister announced, was set to reopen its inter-country adoptions following a four-year hiatus. The country has pulled a halt to adoptions after it emerged that a number of Cambodian children had been lost in human trafficking. Cambodia has now requested a meeting with the Maltese government to pave the way for the reopening of adoptions.

Farrugia denied suggestions PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami that the number of adoptions has gone down substantially: “The numbers don’t differ that much.”

Malta is seeking to open adoptions from India and Philippines whilst talks with Chile and Venezuela are at an advanced stage.

Talks with Kosovo, Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic are underway whilst the agreement with Albania is being reviewed.

Following an agreement with Vietnam, the country is sending experts over to Malta for a followup.

The foreign affairs minister also explained that adoptions from Russia were never halted. However, he admitted that there were times where Russia required further assurances after Russian children allegedly went missing in the US.