Hungarian Documentary about Norway´s «Barnevernet»

Silje Garmo (screenshot)

A TV team from a national TV station in Hungary has published a 40 minute documentary about the Norwegian Child Welfare System, the infamous «Barnevernet» which is gaining a lot of attention and creating a stir in Hungary. The producer is the renowned Robert Abraham.

The main person in the documentary is the Norwegian political scientist Silje Garmo, who since 2017 has lived in Warsaw with her daughter Eira (7). They were granted political asylum by Poland´s government because of the persecution in Norway by Barnevernet, and are the only political refugees from Norway that have been granted asylum in Europe since World War II.

The Bodnariu family (screenshot)

The Norwegian-Romanian couple Ruth & Marius Bodnariu are also presented in the documentary. They fled in 2016 to Marius´ homeland Romania together with their five children who have now grown to seven.

Psychology specialist in Norway, Einar Columbus Salvesen, and pastor Jan-Aage Torp are the Norwegian commentators throughout the film, and especially Torp is interviewed about the broader ideological perspectives behind the work of Barnevernet. 

The Hungarian chief editor Peter Morvay of the influential media corporation Hetek, which for several years has cooperated with Torp, contributes with ideological analyses of the Norwegian Barnevernet. Hetek is owned by Europe´s largest evangelical church, «Faith Church», which is led by pastor Sandor Nemeth.

The Hungarian film is as yet only in Hungarian, and the Norwegian contributors are all dubbed.

Welcome to watch the film here.