[2Bulgarianbeauties]

I heard from my Bulgarian attorney that there are now 2200 kids available in the regional registries. This number exceeds the number of foreign applicants. They are also saying that it is an issue with the central registry, and that it will be a couple of months until the matches start up. Of course, the country shuts down in August, so I am not expecting any matches until Septemer at best.

Kay

[doghouse]

I don't think I will feel comfortable about signing up for adopting from Bulgaria until I see some families, who haven't waited a zillion months, actually come home with their kids.

[DC-Dad]

I agree Doghouse .... but after working through all of this for over a year now (homestudy, FBI fingerprints, medicals, etc) I am feeling enthused! I met with my boss this afternoon (who is an adoptive mother from Romania many years ago) and told her what was going on (she actually asks) and said that this was in her book very good news. Her niece just adopted from Russia and there were apparently many delays in that adoption also. So maybe this is all attributable (at least a little bit) to the growing pains of Eastern Europe! I don't know but I'm trying to feel good right now that this time next year I'll be taking my little boy to Easter Vigil! Dana

[petersonsuri]

Just wanted you all to know that there is another child from my son's orphanage coming home at the same time as my son on April 14th. The wait has been from July 2004 and the good news that the time between 1st visit and finalization was less than 90 days. Just thought you would like that news.

HAPPY EASTER

[margareta]

The wait and efforts are much but the children in Bulgaria are lovely and at the end you realise all of it was worthy. Besides everywhere in Eastern Europe the adoption process takes a long time. Only adoption from China will take less.

[doghouse]

Originally Posted by Kay Jarboe

I heard from my Bulgarian attorney that there are now 2200 kids available in the regional registries. This number exceeds the number of foreign applicants. They are also saying that it is an issue with the central registry, and that it will be a couple of months until the matches start up. Of course, the country shuts down in August, so I am not expecting any matches until Septemer at best.

Kay

The fist time I read this, I didn't realize the number of children registered was 2200 kids!

That number sounds way too big. Just a month ago the tally was 40.

Where did you get this information? Who is your agency? Are you going with a domestic agency or foreign?

[2Bulgarianbeauties]

The 2200 are the kids in the regional registry. They have not all made it to the central database, which is where the matches are made. I am using Tree of Life in Oregon. This information came from my (their) Bulgarian counterpart - Right to Have a Family.

I honestly believe there is more going on than a database issue. Perhaps is has to do with the elections in June. I do not know that for sure, just speculating. My concern is if they have stopped until after the elections, they will not really get started until September / October due to the August shutdown.

Kay

[doghouse]

It sounds like that country has a lot of problems. Thanks for the information.

Tammy

[handfull2b]

Originally Posted by Kay Jarboe

The 2200 are the kids in the regional registry. They have not all made it to the central database, which is where the matches are made. I am using Tree of Life in Oregon. This information came from my (their) Bulgarian counterpart - Right to Have a Family.

I honestly believe there is more going on than a database issue. Perhaps is has to do with the elections in June. I do not know that for sure, just speculating. My concern is if they have stopped until after the elections, they will not really get started until September / October due to the August shutdown.

Kay

I apologize for my ignorance, but who/what exactly are they electing in June, and are there potential negative implications for adoptions based on the outcome of the elections?
Thank you
Maria

[2Bulgarianbeauties]

I believe the election is for the president, who would then affect the ministers. I do not know if it would impact adoptions, it could. I do not mean to cause fear here. I am speculating on everything, so please do not take what I write as anything more than that. I just have a feeling that there is more to this than a database issue. On the other hand, Bulgaian adoptions have always been pretty stable. I have to admit that I am considering switching to Russia. It is a very hard decision to make, and I have been struggling with it for over a month now.

Kay
Mom to Anna, Varna Bulgaria and waiting for #2

[handfull2b]

Originally Posted by Kay Jarboe

I believe the election is for the president, who would then affect the ministers. I do not know if it would impact adoptions, it could. I do not mean to cause fear here. I am speculating on everything, so please do not take what I write as anything more than that. I just have a feeling that there is more to this than a database issue. On the other hand, Bulgaian adoptions have always been pretty stable. I have to admit that I am considering switching to Russia. It is a very hard decision to make, and I have been struggling with it for over a month now.

Kay
Mom to Anna, Varna Bulgaria and waiting for #2

I can imagine what a struggle that would be! If you would switch, though, would'nt you still have quite a wait? I mean from what I have heard, there is a wait sometimes of 5 or more months just to get through the review process. You could end up with a referral from Bulgaria before Russia even if fall is the first time Bulgaria starts moving, right? I do understand your feeling that the datadase issue just does'nt make sense though! I don't get it either. I really want my child home in 2005! I don't like all these unknowns! My husband just keeps telling me that we are not swithching countries and that I am trying to make sense according to how things would work here. Bulgaria is a different world from America.
Good luck Kay
Maria

[doghouse]

Hasn't the MOJ already been changed this year?

Remember in Romania when their current president was elected and shut down foreign adoptions?

[DC-Dad]

I spoke Friday with the attorney from Bulgaria who is working with the US agency I am working with. As for the database situation, the problem is that, according to the attorney, when the adoptions were regionalized the information was held in the regions (like the states). Now it is centralized and there has been some problem getting all the information into the central computers and getting the orphanages to move the information into the centralized database. The elections that are being held are for Prime Minister. The attorney is pretty confident that the current Prime Minister (who was the King of Bulgaria prior to WWII) will be returned. She doesn't think there is any threat to adoptions like Romania. She thinks the 2200 number is actually a little low and feels that the number now is a bit higher than that. She does agree that it will be the summer before we start seeing referrals probably but feels that the Vice-Minister who is over the International Adoptions Board will continue after the elections. So that is what I've gotten. Dana