State Duma lawmaker sees no need in revising provisions of 'Dima Yakovlev law'

First deputy chairwoman of the committee for family, women and children under the State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament Olga Batalina /United Russia faction/ said she does not see the necessity to revise certain provisions of the "Dima Yakovlev law," or let Russian-U.S. parents living in the USA adopt Russian children. "The effective legislation takes care of all the possible situations," Batalina told Itar-Tass on Tuesday, in comments on an article that addresses the topic, carried by the newspaper Izvestia. According to the article, Russian lawmakers intend to amend the above law in the course of the autumn session and let mixed Russian-U.S. couples qualify as foster parents in the adoption of Russian children. If this couple lives in Russia permanently, it shows the relevant documents to the court and can proceed with adoption in accordance with the requirements of Russian legislation. "If the mixed couple lives in the USA and is raising a natural relative brought to that country, for example, a child of the Russian mother, this child will be adopted under U.S. legislation," the Russian parliamentarian said. "If the child is not a natural relative, he or she will not be adopted in the USA, regardless of whether the couple is American or mixed," Batalina said, "in this case, the law makes no distinctions. It means this mixed couple will adopt a child who won't be from Russia."