Foreign Minister signs diplomatic note to Norway over Michalák brothers case

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek has signed a diplomatic note in protest at the Norwegian authorities, who decided to place in adoption the six-year-old son of Czech woman Eva Michaláková. She has also been barred from having any contact with her second son, who is 10. The note will be handed over to the Norwegian embassy on Wednesday afternoon. Speaking on Tuesday night, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said the country’s social affairs minister would seek an explanation from the Norwegian authorities on the ruling, which Prague says reneged on a previous agreement. The government has also encouraged Mrs. Michaláková to explore all avenues of appeal in Norway and if that fails to take the matter to the European Court of Human Rights.