There have been a substantial number of cases reported in the media of late where a non-Maltese parent might take off with a son or daughter without their spouse’s knowledge.

With the advent of social media, the news of these ‘abductions’ spread like wildfire. The initial reaction always seems to be of concern and pity for the jilted parent, the one left behind empty handed.  But the other side of the story often emerges later to give a very different version of events.

In such emotionally tense situations, there are always three sides to every story. The mother’s side, the father’s side – and – the truth.

The purpose of this leading article is not to judge any of the cases, in fact, our intention is quite the opposite.

When a parent decides to leave their spouse and the mother or father of their child, there are always reasons. They might not be the reasons that the other spouse or partner might want us to believe. But in such emotionally charged situations, people’s behaviour can become irrational. The truth is that most of these situations come about when one, or both of the souses are foreigners.  When it truly becomes too much (and we can never blame one side nor the other because no one knows what goes on behind closed doors) they invariably leave the country and head back to their home.

What we certainly need to sort out is our ability – in terms of the law – to deal with these situations. These things have happened for years on end, but as the state provides more rights and people are more informed, the issue is not brushed under the carpet and allowed to die a natural death as it may have been in the past. We need to ensure that the relevant structures are in place to regulate the system better. As things stand there are too many loopholes and it seems that no one really seems to know what is going on. We also have to resist the temptation to over-regulate, as we might end up in a situation where a parent might not even be allowed to leave the country without the others’ express written consent.

The sad truth is that families do go through periods of difficulty. Sometimes they patch it up and move on, and others do not manage. This is one of the effects of globalisation in Malta. People from different countries either meeting their partners here, or moving here from abroad. Sometimes, it is not going to work out. The most important thing in any case, is the wellbeing and the best interests of the child. Now we need to work out a specific framework to ensure that we can do just that.