Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini
said Tuesday he would not "find peace" until all seven of the
children taken from their families in a controversial fostering
case involving alleged malpractice by social workers return to
the family fold.
"I won't find peace until the last kid in Italy unjustly
taken from his family doesn't go home to mum and dad," Salvini
said at this town near Reggio Emilia where social workers are
accused of coercing kids to tell lies about alleged parental
abuse in order to get them stripped from their family and
entrusted to 'friendly' families for profit.
Salvinis said his far-right League party's proposal for a
commission of inquiry into foster homes would be approved by the
"first few days in August".
"We'll go all the way, not only on the 10,000 children taken
from their families in Emilia Romagna, but all over Italy," he
said.
""It's a disgrace that there are people who have made a
business even on the backs of children".
He added: "I urge anyone who knows of other abuses, anywhere
in Italy, to report them to the interior ministry, if they want
remaining anonymous, and we will make all the necessary checks".
Earlier Tuesday it was reported that four of the seven
children involved in the Angels and Demons probe into allegedly
coerced evidence of untrue parental abuse at Bibbiano had
returned to their natural families from foster homes.
The decision by the Bologna minors court was taken some time
ago, sources said.
Social workers are alleged to have coached and coerced kids
into saying their parents were abusing them so that they could
be entrusted to 'friendly' families for a profit, according to
police.
The case has gained headlines and sparked political rows with
the ruling 5-Star Movement (M5S) accusing the centre-left
Democratic Party (PD) of involvement in the alleged coercion
because the local mayor is PD.
The PD is suing the M5S for the allegations.
There has even been an unsubstantiated allegation that kids
were given electric shocks to train them to provide the desired
answers by the Turin-based Hansel and Gretel association.
The PD has pointed out the association received some M5S
funding.
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