Police have identified a person connected to a phantom medical centre involved in surrogate parenthood operations, according to philenews sources.
Officers from the Limassol Criminal Investigation Department are tracking an individual who allegedly attempted to register the “World Center Of Baby” as a legal entity through an administrative services provider.
The registration of a company under that name was never completed, according to records from the Registrar of Companies, though investigators are examining whether an alternative name might have been used.
The clinic, which advertised a Limassol address on its website, never received an operating licence from the Ministry of Health.
When officials and police officers visited the declared location, they found no premises associated with the centre.
According to promotional videos, prospective parents seeking surrogacy services would arrive in the Republic of Cyprus before being taken to medical facilities in the occupied north of the island for arrangements.
Following public outcry over its illegal activities, the centre removed its official website, which reportedly contained information about at least seven individuals, including administrative staff and specialist scientists.
Evidence suggests the centre promised same-sex couples they could have children through surrogacy in the occupied territories and leave without complications with their newborns.
However, as seen in the case of a 36-year-old and 33-year-old who had twins through the service, problems arose with obtaining official birth certificates in the breakaway regime, making it impossible to secure travel documents for the infants.
This appears to be the third case of British same-sex couples becoming stranded in the occupied territories due to passport issues for their newborns.
Exploitation concerns
The Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies (MIGS) expressed serious concerns about surrogacy networks operating in Cyprus.
“The Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies once again expresses its opposition to the practice of surrogate motherhood, which constitutes a serious form of exploitation and commodification of women and children,” the organisation said in a statement.
MIGS noted that “the enormous financial benefits for individuals and companies managing surrogacy procedures create ideal conditions for trafficking vulnerable women for reproductive exploitation“.
The institute reminded that the European Parliament has classified surrogacy as a form of human trafficking, and that the practice is prohibited in most European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Lithuania, Slovakia, Latvia, and Switzerland.
MIGS has called on the state to evaluate the implementation of legislation and consider banning surrogacy, as well as to publish detailed information about applications submitted to the Council for Medically Assisted Reproduction.
