Sometimes, in cases of separation or divorce, it happens that children are taken to another country without consent of the other parent, who also exercises the parental rights and obligations. This often happens when the parent who is not given the exercise of parental rights and obligations returns to his or her country of origin together with the children. In most of the cases, this parent violates international agreements and conventions. Child abduction can have serious consequences for children such as abrupt loss of their familiar social environment and significant persons.

On 21 February 2003, the Bulgarian Parliament ratified the 1996 Hague Convention in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children.

The Convention is in force for Bulgaria from 1 August 2003.

For instance:

1. Marriage between a Bulgarian woman and a Libyan man is broken down. They have two children – a girl and a boy. The father goes back to Libya. He regularly visits his children in Bulgaria and maintains good relations with them. He reaches an agreement with the mother that he will take for a while their daughter to Libya as to be able to know better her relatives there. He never brings her back to Bulgaria.
2. Bulgarian spouses live in Australia together with their children. The family decides to come back temporarily to Bulgaria. A year later, the father together with the paternal grandmother take the children to Australia without informing their mother.

How International Social Service - Bulgaria can help

• By providing counseling on how abduction can be prevented and what can be done when abduction has taken place.
• By trying to establish contact with the abducting parent and to work towards an amicable agreement in the best interest of the child.
• By providing social reports to the court which serve as the basis for the decision-making.
• By working together with the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
• By assisting in establishing contacts between the child and the parents who exercises parental rights and obligations.