Air Schengen Raises Concerns: 6 Children Taken Out of Bulgaria Without Parental Consent

In a concerning turn of events, six children were recently taken out of Bulgaria without the knowledge or consent of one of the parenst, just a month after the country's admission to the air Schengen zone. The revelation was made by family law lawyer Dobromira Polimenova in an interview with Nova TV.

Under the new rules of the air Schengen agreement, a parent can take a child out of the country without presenting a declaration from the other parent, duly certified by a notary public. This loophole has raised serious concerns about parental rights and child safety.

Polimenova highlighted that in response to these incidents, procedures have been initiated to bring the children back to Bulgaria. However, she emphasized that the issue remains unresolved, despite the formation of a working group to address the matter.

Explaining the situation further, the lawyer noted that while no border control is conducted when children are taken out of the Schengen area, Bulgarian authorities have the discretion to carry out checks. However, this subjective approach does not guarantee the protection of parental rights or prevent illegal child removal.

"This is subjective and does not guarantee the observance of the parents' rights and that the children will not be taken abroad illegally," Polimenova pointed out. She also highlighted the lengthy and judicial procedure involved in returning a child to Bulgaria, adding to the complexity of the situation.