17:36 Vika Maroz cannot be adopted abroad

Vika Maroz cannot be adopted abroad, according to Natallia Paspelava, the director of the National Adoption Center at the Belarus's Ministry of Education. When explaining the decision, Paspelava quoted the international law, which says that a child that has been integrated into a foster family in the country of origin and citizenship cannot be adopted by foreign parents.

In September 2006, the Italian family that was hosting Vika during summer holidays refused to return the girl back to Belarus. However, Vika was found and brought back to the country. In late October 2006 she was adopted by the Vasileuski family, the guardians to her older brother.