The Legal Background of Kinship as a Basis of Family Relationships, With Special Regard for the Regulation on Adoption in Central European Countries

Abstract

The article aims to give an overview of the most significant features of legal regulation on adoption in certain Central European countries. The research was carried out with regard to four countries, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia. The article, on the one hand, summarises the legal background, and, on the other hand, presents the relevant constitutional provisions of the given countries. It sheds light on current legal solutions to the relationship between kinship and adoption, then it analyses the requirements of adoption in the four above-mentioned countries. It can be found that the main aim and consequences are the same in all analyzed countries, but there are some national characteristics regarding the types and conditions of adoption. The article shows that one of the most significant principles, the best interest of the child is of utmost importance beside the different national traits of Hungarian, Slovenian, the Czech, and Polish family law.