Belarus girl: Italian Red Cross, want to meet Maria :: Charter'97 :: News

"We have the girl`s well-being and future at heart and will not wait in silence for solutions the respective countries might decide to adopt", communicated Massimo Barra, president of the Italian Red Cross (IRC), with regard to its efforts for Maria, the Belarus girl repatriated without a final decision of the court of appeal; the IRC also requested the collaboration of the Belarus Red Cross.

"We are ready to take further steps, put the Belarus and the Italian government under pressure underlining humanitarian principles which for us, in such cases, have priority over national sovereignty. We were available to host the girl in Italy with a Red Cross institution, far away from the public, in expectation of the court of appeal sentence. The circumstances which led to the forced transfer of the girl to Belarus have not changed our commitment. With the support of the Belarus Red Cross we are pressing for clear answers and if we receive the permission our delegation will soon be there to meet the girl".