The 16-year-old is still in a structure in Berlin, under the supervision of social workers. Her father, while he was in Germany, returned to Patras after his daughter’s persistent refusal.
The press representative of the Berlin Police, Jorn Iflander, had stated that Laura contacted the authorities on 2/26. In fact, it was clarified that she has not committed any crime and there has been no problem with her.
even if the meeting took place in the presence of a social worker, as provided. It remains unknown if she has explained to the authorities why she left Greece and why she does not want contact with her family, gnomip.gr reports.
What is the law in Germany?
According to the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch-BGB) and Article 1684, the right of communication (Umgangsrecht) is both a right and an obligation of the parent, but also a right of the child. If a minor child declares that he does not want contact with a parent, his refusal does not automatically lead to a termination of communication.
Family courts consider each case based on the best interests of the child (Kindeswohl). The child’s opinion is taken into account, especially as he grows older and is considered more mature, but is not in itself decisive before adulthood.
If there are serious reasons – such as abuse, neglect or psychological burden – the court can limit or even prohibit contact.
Usually, this is preceded by the intervention of the competent youth service (Jugendamt), which assesses the situation and tries to find a solution for the benefit of the child.
If, for example, a teenager persistently refuses to see one parent citing fear or severe mental stress, the court may seek expert advice and decide on either supervised contact or a temporary suspension of contact. In any case, the primary criterion remains the protection and well-being of the child.
What the father had said
“She needs to find her peace first. I need to meet with her and talk. If I’m allowed, I can talk to her at any time, but the girl has to recover first,” he said, when asked what he would do if Laura refused to return.
He added: “We will have to sit down and find a solution. Let’s see if she wants to stay in Greece, where her experience was so difficult, which I understand, with the language and the school. He had huge problems with school. He had a problem there, everything was fine in the family.”
