ROME, December 25 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's general consulate in Milan has received at least ten complaints from Russian mothers deprived of the right to see their children over the last two years. These children were born into mixed families, the consulate told Itar-Tass.
The diplomats reported Marina Ivanova’s case was the most difficult one, as she has had no chance to communicate with her underage son for over a year. The boy was placed in an orphanage in October 2012 following the ruling of a Milan court that satisfied the demand of his father, a citizen of Italy, who fervently opposed the possibility his son might be granted Russian citizenship. The mother was not even notified of the forced parting with her son, she can see him once a month for no more than an hour and has the right to just one phone call of no more than ten minutes.
Ivanova and her mother have repeatedly appealed to the Russian authorities and the responsible bodies for assistance in securing Russian citizenship for the boy.
“But according to the law, this requires consent from both parents, while his Italian father is firmly against. We cannot help as the child is a citizen of Italy,” the consulate said.
Several problem cases were under consideration in the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Rome, but its head Sergey Patronov said that no such case was currently under supervision.
Russian diplomats now provide thorough advice to Russian women going to marry Italians. They strongly recommend the women to closely study Italian legislation; a special memo is available on the general consulate’s website.