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Sun, Nov 08 2009
The price of a Bulgarian baby in Greece is 18 000 euro, expert says
Photo: Nadezhda Chipeva
Bulgarian children were the largest number of all children victims of human trafficking in Greece, Bulgarian National Anti-Trafficking Commission chief secretary Antoaneta Vassileva was quoted by Bulgarian news agency Focus as saying on April 7 2009.
"Because of demographic problems, there is high demand for children in Greece," she told a forum on fighting human trafficking. The event was organised by the National Investigative Service and RiskMonitor foundation.
In 2008, there were seven cases of trafficking of Bulgarian babies, most of whom were destined for Greece, she said.
According to her, the price for a baby boy was 18 000 euro and for a baby girl between 13 000 and 14 000 euro. Usually the money was paid in two transactions, she said, but in most cases the mother - usually of Roma origin - got no more than 3000 euro.
If the buyers did not like the baby very much, the price could go down, she said.
Vassileva said that hospitals were well aware of the trafficking scheme. Usually a baby that was to be trafficked was not registered when born or it was registered as a child with a Greek father.
Lawyers and notaries were also involved in the scheme.
A major problem was that no one in Bulgaria kept a record of pregnant women who leave the country, meaning that there was no means of recording when a woman left the country pregnant but returned without a child.
"Because of demographic problems, there is high demand for children in Greece," she told a forum on fighting human trafficking. The event was organised by the National Investigative Service and RiskMonitor foundation.
In 2008, there were seven cases of trafficking of Bulgarian babies, most of whom were destined for Greece, she said.
According to her, the price for a baby boy was 18 000 euro and for a baby girl between 13 000 and 14 000 euro. Usually the money was paid in two transactions, she said, but in most cases the mother - usually of Roma origin - got no more than 3000 euro.
If the buyers did not like the baby very much, the price could go down, she said.
Vassileva said that hospitals were well aware of the trafficking scheme. Usually a baby that was to be trafficked was not registered when born or it was registered as a child with a Greek father.
Lawyers and notaries were also involved in the scheme.
A major problem was that no one in Bulgaria kept a record of pregnant women who leave the country, meaning that there was no means of recording when a woman left the country pregnant but returned without a child.
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More than 30 per cent of foreign lambs in Greece are sold as 'domestic produce'. Greece imports 15 000 from Macedonia alone to meet local demand.
Bulgarian convicted for women trafficking in Belgium
The correctional court in Brussels sentenced a 36-year-old Bulgarian to four years in jail and a fine of 22 000 euro for pimping and trafficking women. The man was also found guilty for participating in an international criminal organisation, Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws said on January 7 2009.
`Exported' and exploited
A round table on the practices and challenges of combating trafficking in human beings in Europe on December 9 presented a general message of the necessity of cross-border co-operation, and of the conviction of the possibility to change the situation in Bulgaria. Organised by the embassy of Finland in Bulgaria, along with the embassy of Norway and the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, the meeting at Arena di Serdica Hotel in Sofia came as part of the Finnish rotating chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a globe-encompassing security institution.
Roundtable calls for international collaboration to fight human trafficking
On December 9, a day before Human Rights Day, a roundtable discussion on the practices and challenges of combating trafficking in human beings in Europe was held in Sofia. Presented was a general message of the necessity of cross-border co-operation, and of the conviction of the possibility to change the situation in Bulgaria.
Son of former Constitutional Court judge arrested for people trafficking
Police in Varna arrested Veselin Danov, a city councillor and the son of former Constitutional Court judge and interior minister Hristo Danov, on suspicion of links to people trafficking and the prostitution industry, Bulgarian National Television reported. On September 12 2008, investigators, acting with a warrant from the Prosecutor-General's office, searched the VIP Pawnshop owned and managed by Danov and confiscated documents. Danov was put in 24-hour custody.
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Most likely, the babies are sold to childless couples in Grece, especially if the baby has been registered as having a Greek father. One more example of illegal adoption.
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This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
1-Why are babies being sold.
is it becuase birth rate in greece is low?
2- what is the future of those babies.... Problem is not just now. babies being sold .. it is after.. may be girls are put into dirtly body selling business. does any body has clue about this..
What is happening in our country? Babies disappearing from Sheinovo maternity, or being sold abroad, trafficking of young girls and women? Measures should be taken immediately on the part of the Bulgarian government, civil society and foreign authorities involved in these crimes.
- You are right Christiana!!! I just hope they don´t buy the less desirable children for organs. Usch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'If the buyers did not like the baby very much, the price could go down'? Why on earth would they buy the baby if they didn't like it very much? This is a shocking story
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