Courts will be able to impose additional protective measures for children, such as confiscating passports or temporarily banning international travel, when there is a risk of illegal detention. Parliament has passed in final reading the measures concerning special protection for children against international travel or unlawful retention, IPN reports.

The legislative initiative regulates the entire procedure for managing cases of international travel or illegal detention of children. The project establishes clear competencies for the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, enabling it to take measures such as locating children taken abroad or held unlawfully, preventing further risks, ensuring the voluntary return of the child, initiating judicial or administrative procedures, and providing state-guaranteed legal assistance, among others.

The document includes provisions related to exercising visitation rights both within the Republic of Moldova and abroad. The new legislation will allow national authorities to collaborate more effectively with international institutions to verify the conditions under which visits occur and to ensure the child’s return to the country.

"The bill addresses the issue of international child abduction for children under the age of 16. It prioritizes the well-being and rights of children, aiming to protect them from the harmful effects of abduction and ensure their return to their habitual residence through expedited procedures", states the explanatory note of the legislative initiative.