Interior Minister confirms adopted children from Congo had Croatian documents

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic confirmed on Friday that the children from the Congo, who were adopted in Zambia by four Croatian couples subsequently arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, had Croatian documents.

“An investigation is being conducted. The children have Croatian documents that were issued based on appropriate decisions by Croatian institutions,” said Bozinovic at the Police Academy.

He added that at the moment several Croatian departments are cooperating and exchanging information in coordination with the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry (MVEP), which is in charge of taking care of Croatian citizens outside the Republic of Croatia.

Eight Croatian citizens have been detained in Zambia for more than three weeks due to suspicion about the validity of documents for adopting minor Congolese children, MVEP confirmed last Saturday.

Four couples from Croatia were arrested in Zambia on 7 December on suspicion of human trafficking, Croatian media reported last week, adding that the couples intended to adopt children from the Congo.

Peacewell Mweemba, police commander of Copperbelt Province, said the Croats were arrested at Ndola airport with four Congolese children on suspicion of having forged the adoption documents, Zambia’s Lusaka Times portal reported.

The Croats were arrested, and the children were handed over to social welfare institutions, Mweemba said.

On Christmas Eve, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs confirmed that the eight Croats are still in custody in Ndola.

An employee of the Croatian Embassy in Pretoria visited the arrested Croatian citizens and provided them with consular assistance. He also spoke with the relevant Zambian authorities about the case, MVEP reported and announced that they would continue to be assisted through diplomatic channels.

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