The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) is taking good care of the children of the jailed Turkish mothers, Children’s Rights Minister Michael Falzon said.

Falzon was speaking to The Malta Independent following a six-month jail term given last week to two Turkish mothers who were caught at Malta’s airport with their two sons aged two and four.

The Turkish women were found guilty of using forged documents in their transit in Malta between Greece and Belgium. The judgment was communted to a suspended sentence on Friday.

Their sons had been separated from their mothers and taken into the care of the state by the social welfare agency Agenzija Appogg.

“I deem it inappropriate to comment on the court’s decision; if our ministry did, there would be a backlash from the people would say politics has nothing to do with it. Our reservations are there, our interests as a ministry only regard children’s rights, and thus, I can assure that we have done all we could for these children, and will continue to do so,” Falzon said.

Furthermore, after acknowledging that these children are unfortunately going without their mother’s care, Falzon ensured that on the materialistic front they were being fully cared for by the State.

“Our ministry stepped in immediately to care for these children and I can personally confirm that up until this morning itself, on the materialistic front, these children are not going without anything, but of course, I acknowledge that they are going without their mother’s company,” he said.

“Outside of court rulings we ensure that they receive everything they deserve,” he concluded.

The jail term for these mothers sparked plenty of criticism from NGOs and social workers who contended that the children’s best interest has not been taken into account by the court as they should instead have been given a suspended jail term.

The families are now pleading to be granted refuge in Malta.