Alternate Social Solidarity Minister Theano Fotiou welcomed parliament’s passing yesterday the law streamlining foster parenting and adoption procedures for the 2,000 children currently in Greece orphanages and child care institutions.
Until now it took four years or more for a couple to adopt due to the enormous bureaucratic red tape.
“Parliament embraced the law on foster parenting and adoption because it gives a breather to children in orphanages and society – to all those who are waiting to open their arms and their homes to a child,” Fotiou said.
Fotiou was one of the main architects of the law.
Fotiou blasted New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his party over their refusal to vote for the article that allows LGBT couples who are in a civil union to become foster parents.
New Democracy voted for the bill overall, with the exception of the same-sex parenting article, Article 8
Fotiou said that New Democracy’s stance proved that it is not a European or liberal party, at least in the sense of social liberalism, but rather a deeply conservative party with reactionary thinking.
Fotiou praised the four New Democracy MPs who broke ranks with the party to vote for foster parenting by same-sex couples, most notably Katerina Markou, who as New Democracy’s rapporteur on the bill argued against the article on same sex parenting.
