Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 26/99) - The territorial government has agreed to do what it can to help Roberta Vaneltsi get her children back.

On Wednesday, the assembly carried a motion to support Vaneltsi, 32, in her struggle to have her two children returned from the Czech Republic.

The children, Roman and Petra, were taken there five years ago by Vaneltsi's estranged husband, Petr Cerny.

Advanced by Mackenzie-Delta MLA David Krutko, the motion affirms the assembly's support for Vaneltsi in her struggle and "strongly" encourages Premier Jim Antoine and cabinet to "take all possible measures to assist Ms. Vaneltsi in being reunited with her children..."

"It's my last resort, to go the political route," said the soft-spoken Gwich'in mother, adding she thanks the legislative assembly for their support.

The motion is about the only help the Yellowknife resident has received from any government, despite five years of phone calls and letter-writing to territorial and federal politicians and officials, Canadian diplomats, United Nations officials, and legal wrangling in Czech courtrooms.

As Krutko noted in making the motion, "(Vaneltsi) has not received any meaningful support from this government in regards to representing her and her intervention with the courts.

"Also, she has made attempts to get the federal government (involved), through our MP, Ms. Ethel Blondin-Andrew and our Prime Minister, Mr. Jean Chretien, where letters have been sent back and forth with no real positive outcome."

Vaneltsi was hopeful the territorial government's voice carry more weight then hers has.

"I think they will have more clout than me, to let people know what's going on, whereas if I try that I don't get through to the individual, I'll get through to the secretary."

Vaneltsi travelled to the Czech Republic to see her children for the first time in two years March 5-17.

During the visit, a Czech judge awarded Cerny child support of about $100 Canadian a month. Vaneltsi said Cerny had asked for the equivalent of $800 per month.

The visit was both joyful and heart-rending for Vaneltsi.

She said her children want to come to Canada, and videotaped her 10-year-old daughter saying as much.

"He (son Roman, 12) asked if he could come and I had to say no, for Petra's sake," said Vaneltsi.

In 1995, when Cerny did not return the children, the NWT Courts awarded Vaneltsi interim sole custody. A warrant was issued for the immediate return of the children. An RCMP warrant is outstanding for the arrest of Cerny for abduction.

But the rulings have so far had no effect in Czech courts, which have awarded Cerny sole custody and, last month, made the child support order, which Vaneltsi said she will honour.

Vaneltsi's lawyer in the Czech republic said it chances of the children being brought back to Canada in the near future are "very low."

Daniel Hrbac said he will be making application to the Czech court to allow the return of the children to Canada during their summer school break. It is unlikely a court rulling, if it is favourable, will be handed down in time for the children to return this summer.

News/North calls to the office of Ethel Blondin-Andrew and Foreign Affairs official Lindsay Heissler were not returned.