Babies are sold for millions of forints in Hungary

There is a growing number of families who would like to adopt a child in Hungary. Thus, adoption is quite a relevant topic to discuss. The problem is that more and more people decide to make money off of their unborn child by selling the baby to desperate couples. RTL Klub made a report on the issue, where they posed as a couple waiting to adopt a baby, and they posted an ad online, reports Index.hu. Here is what happened.

There are approximately 2,000 families waiting for a baby to adopt, and there are 20,000 children waiting to be adopted. Yet, only 900 of these children are actually being adopted a year in Hungary.

The process of adoption is a painfully long one, some people have to wait 3-4 years before they can take their child home.

Due to the circumstances, some people are even willing to pay for a child, and there are people out there who take advantage of this phenomenon.

More and more mothers decide to sell their unborn babies for millions of forints.

RTL Klub made a report where they pretended to be a couple who are not able to have a baby on their own, but who desperately want one. They posted an advertisement online in which they DID NOT mention money at all. It took only a couple of days before a couple from the countryside responded to their ad. Their personal meeting with the couple was recorded with a hidden camera.

The woman was 4 months pregnant. The couple wanted to get HUF 5 million for their baby. As it turned out, they were in contact with more families at once, supposedly waiting for the highest bid. The father regarded the money as recompense.

This issue is not only morally questionable, but it is also illegal, as it is considered to be human trafficking. It is forbidden to give up a child for money. It is also illegal to pay money for a child. Both sellers and buyers can be sentenced to three years in prison.

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RTL Klub also interviewed Zita Budavári, president of the Bölcső Alapítvány [Cradle Foundation] who said that she herself has heard of two such incidents.

“I heard about a case 10 years ago which was about HUF 5 million. Two years ago, I myself run into such an incident where the amount was HUF 3 million.”

She said that in spite of the serious consequences, more mothers try to make a profit out of their unwanted pregnancies. She also said that these cases can have serious repercussions besides the legal issues. There are many mothers who take advantage of desperate couples and deceive them, taking their money during the pregnancy, let them pay for vitamins, food, examinations, and then, in the end, they are not willing to give up their baby after all.

Source: www.index.hu; www.rtl.hu/rtlklub