Directors of Adoptions and maternity hospitals involved in the sale of children

The Daily, 2001

Directors of Adoptions and maternity hospitals involved in the sale of children

The traffickers' technique says it all about their "humanitarian" intentions: the Romanian government takes care of children institutionalized by the Romanian Committee for Adoptions (CRA). According to some provisions of the CRA Regulation, a foundation for child protection cannot mediate an adoption, unless it is accredited by it. In order to obtain a child without any problems, the mobsters arranged a medical certificate for him to take out the sick child, and then to ask him from the CRA, as "nominally distributed". This method caused a scandal in January 1999 in which two foundations were involved, "Irene" and "Stuart", foundations founded by the lawyer Elena Bustea. She obtained several copies for adoption, based on such certificates, but the investigation launched in the case of the two foundations did not prove that any illegalities were committed. Only some officers who investigated the case confessed to the press, that Bustea's two organizations were involved in illegal adoptions, but would benefit from the protection of important politicians and senior officers from the Ministry of Interior.

In August 1996, 60-year-old Elisabeta Amzar, head of the Newborn Department at Caritas Hospital in Bucharest, along with her subordinates, Laura Gheorghe and Ecaterina Balaceanu, were charged with mediating an illegal adoption. Florin Burcea, a child who was born on August 21, 1996 at the "Caritas" hospital, was abandoned in the hospital by his mother, Daniela Burcea because he did not benefit from material funds to support him. After the child was abandoned, Elisabeta Amzar and Laura Gheorghe issued a false certificate, but with the same registration number as the original one, which they sent to the Guardianship Authority. The personal data of the natural mother were not specified in the forgery prepared by the two, and the signature of the doctor on duty, over which the initials were also applied, was also forged. The nurse Ecaterina Balaceanu concluded the clinical observation sheet of the newborn, erroneously passing the mother's home and "forgetting" the mention of the data from her identity card. Based on these documents, Florin Burcea was adopted by an Italian family living in Switzerland, without the consent of his natural mother.

The three then came to the attention of the Criminal Police Bureau within Section 10, being investigated at large.

Another case that turned upside down is that of Sorin Astratini, who two years ago was director of the Adoption Department at the City Hall of Sector 3. The former director was caught red-handed on the evening of January 14, 1999, when, in a McDonald's restaurant, from Bucharest received the amount of 3500 dollars from the representation of a foundation that mediated adoptions, in order to approve favorably the adoption of three children by foreign citizens. Astratini was reported by his client, who provided the police with two audio tapes, on which the previous meetings with Astratini were recorded. Listening to the tapes, it was found that, for two years, the former director claimed and received over 7,000 dollars, money that he would share with two other senior officials from the City Hall of Sector 3 Bucharest, involved in the business.

Cotidianul, 2001

Directori de la Adoptii si maternitati implicati in vanzarea copiilor

Tehnica traficantilor spune totul despre intentiile lor „umanitare“: Guvernul Romaniei are grija de copiii institutionalizati prin Comitetul Roman pentru Adoptii (CRA). Conform unor prevederi din Regulamentul CRA, o fundatie pentru protectia copilului nu poate intermedia o adoptie, decat daca ea este acreditata de catre aceasta. Pentru a obtine fara probleme un copil, mafiotii ii aranjau un certificat medical care scotea copilul bolnav, pentru ca mai apoi sa il ceara de la CRA, ca „repartizat nominal“. Aceasta metoda a iscat in ianuarie 1999 un scandal in care au fost antrenate doua fundatii, „Irene“ si „Stuart“ fundatii patronate de avocata Elena Bustea. Ea a obtinut mai multi copii spre adoptie, pe baza unor astfel de certificate, insa ancheta demarata in cazul celor doua fundatii nu a demonstrat ca s-ar fi facut ilegalitati. Doar unii ofiteri care au cercetat cazul au facut marturisiri presei, cum ca cele doua organizatii ale lui Bustea ar fi implicate in adoptii ilegale, insa, ar beneficia de protectia unor importanti oameni politici si ofiteri superiori din cadrul Ministerului de Interne.

In august 1996, Elisabeta Amzar, in varsta de 60 de ani, sefa Sectiei Nou-Nascuti a spitalului „Caritas“ din Bucuresti, impreuna cu subalternele sale, Laura Gheorghe si Ecaterina Balaceanu, au fost acuzate de mijlocirea unei adoptii ilegale. Florin Burcea, un copil care s-a nascut pe data de 21 august 1996 la spitalul „Caritas“, a fost abandonat in spital de catre mama sa, Daniela Burcea deoarece nu beneficia de fonduri materiale pentru a-l intretine. Dupa ce copilul a fost abandonat, Elisabeta Amzar si Laura Gheorghe au eliberat un certificat constatator fals, dar cu acelasi numar de inregistrare cu al celui original, pe care l-au trimis la Autoritatea Tutelara. In falsul intocmit de cele doua nu au fost specificate datele personale ale mamei naturale, iar semnatura medicului de garda, peste care a fost aplicata si parafa, a fost si ea falsificata. Asistenta Ecaterina Balaceanu a incheiat foaia de observatie clinica a nou-nascutului, trecand eronat domiciliul mamei si „uitand“ mentionarea datelor din buletinul de identitate al acesteia. Pe baza acestor acte, Florin Burcea a fost infiat de o familie de italieni care locuieste in Elvetia, fara acordul mamei naturale.

Cele trei au intrat atunci in atentia Biroului Politiei Criminale din cadrul Sectiei 10, fiind cercetate in stare de libertate.

Un alt caz care a facut valva este cel al lui Sorin Astratini, care acum doi ani era director la Directia pentru Adoptii din Primaria Sectorului 3. Fostul director a fost prins in flagrant in seara de 14 ianuarie 1999, cand, intr-un restaurant McDonald’s din Bucuresti a primit suma de 3500 de dolari de la reprezentanta unei fundatii care intermedia adoptii, pentru a aviza favorabil infierea a trei copii de catre cetateni straini. Astratini a fost denuntat tocmai de clienta sa, care a pus la dispozitia politiei doua casete audio, pe care erau inregistrate intalnirile anterioare cu Astratini. Din ascultarea benzilor s-a constatat ca, timp de doi ani, fostul director a pretins si primit peste 7000 de dolari, bani pe care urma sa-i imparta cu alti doi inalti functionari din Primaria Sectorului 3 Bucuresti, implicati in afacere.