The courts will be able to take additional measures for the protection of the child, such as the withdrawal of the passport or temporary ban on leaving the country, when there is a risk of wrongful retention. The Cabinet approved a draft decision to strengthen the protection of children in vulnerable situations related to family disputes, IPN reports.
The document defines a clear procedure for handling cases of travel abroad or wrongful retention of a child and stipulates the provision of free legal aid for people affected by wrongful retention of a child and the extension of legal assistance for families in difficulty.
At the same time, the new legislation will allow national authorities to work more effectively with international institutions to facilitate the location, protection and, where appropriate, safe return of children to the country. The efficient exchange of information will also make it possible to check the child visitation conditions when this happens outside the country.
The Cabinet also approved the draft law on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to an international convention, on the basis of which the decisions of the courts of the Republic of Moldova will be enforceable in other countries, making it possible to coordinate more efficiently and reduce the time of intervention and reaction when the interests of the child are affected.
According to the draft law, the illegal removal of a child means the removal of a child younger than 16 from the country where he/she has his/her habitual residence, for a period of more than 30 days, without the written notarized consent of the other legal representative.
