Bulgaria: New law against baby trafficking.

A draft law in Bulgaria is aiming to tackle the problem of women selling their new born babies to traffickers. The offence could now receive a sentence of between 5 and 10 years. Traffickers in Bulgaria have been selling babies, mainly from the Roma community, to childless couples in other countries. They can earn up to $US 25,000 per child. Over the past 3 years, the Bulgarian authorities have charged 33 people for allegedly coercing women to sell their babies. The fine for trafficking pregnant women could be around $US 6,500, which is a significant amount in Bulgaria, but if balanced against the amount traffickers could earn from selling children, it may not be much of a deterrent. To read more about the law, visit the Sofia Echo by clicking here. To read background on Bulgarian trafficking of babies, visit the Belfast Telegrpah by clicking here.