Romanian adopters not allowed to choose child based on race

BUCHAREST, Romania – Romanian authorities say families who want to adopt a child will no longer be able to make a choice based on the child's ethnicity.

Gabriela Coman, head of the National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of the Child and Adoption, presented a new adoption law Wednesday. She said ethnicity has been eliminated as a criteria for adoption.

Some Romanians don't want to adopt a Roma child. Coman also said prospective adopters are allowed to refuse a maximum of five children.

A new adoption law came into effect Aug. 12, aiming to speed up the adoption process from the current average of 18 months to less than a year.

Around 57,500 children are in state care. Of those, 3,250 are eligible for adoption, and 456 are under 3.