Ongoing battles in the Czech and Maltese courts are delaying Anthony Busuttil’s reunion with his son, a month after the boy’s mother took him away while the couple was on holiday in Prague, Busuttil’s lawyer Edward Debono said today.

Speaking outside the Malta International Airport upon his arrival this afternoon, Mr Busuttil said that he has seen his son for only two minutes since the two were separated.

As he called out to his son to pass on his two favourite toys, his mother, Larisa, pulled him away. As the boy screamed “No! No!”, his mother took him into a police station. Mr Busuttil chased after them, only to be directed to a separate part of the building by the Czech Police.

On 1 December 2015, Anthony, his then partner and their son Adam, were on holiday in Prague. While Mr Busuttil was in the bathroom, he heard the door opening and when he walked out he discovered that his ex-partner had taken his son, leaving the hotel and taking only the clothes they were wearing.

Since then, on 15 December, Maltese courts ruled that Mr Busuttil has full custody of his son deciding also that Larisa had no right to take him away. On 29 December, all was set for Anthony to travel to Prague to get his son back; however, Czech courts refuse to give him his son back until they review the case.

The grounds upon which the Maltese courts decided that Adam should remain in Malta are that he was born and raised here, he goes to school here, he has a Maltese passport and is a full Maltese citizen, Dr Debono said. However Czech social workers have documents giving the boy’s mother approval to keep the son until Czech courts give their decision.

Dr Edward Debono, asked for contact hours for Mr Busuttil to visit his son, at least on alternate weekends and some weekdays. The father said he is even ready to move temporarily to the Czech Republic to see his son, if necessary, but the Czech courts are not budging on their decision.

Dr Debono said the Czech courts are going against the Brussels 2 Convention and the Hague Convention which should supersede local Czech authorities.