Received Alerts Directed to Law Enforcement: Batoyan on Illegal Adoptions

The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Zarouhi Batoyan, addressed the issue of illegal adoptions during a conversation with journalists today. She emphasized that the adoption process does not fall under the authority of her ministry, but they have directed the complaints and alerts received to law enforcement agencies.

“At this moment, I do not have any additional information. We have only acted upon the alerts or rumors we received,” stated Batoyan. According to her, any problem that seemed suspicious has been forwarded to law enforcement. She mentioned that the ministry does not have specific information on who is involved in illegal adoptions, adding that it is an inter-agency issue.

“This involves biological parents, maternity hospitals, healthcare institutions, and local government bodies; it is a large collaborative network where issues can arise in any sector,” Batoyan said. She also declared that they are examining the existing problems in the system in order to take steps to understand the legislative gaps and find solutions.