ANKARA, September 7 (RIA Novosti) - A private clinic in Turkey has agreed to discharge a newborn Russian child who had been stranded in the country after his parents were unable to pay the clinic's bill, a diplomat said Friday.
The mother, Yulia Korsakova, had traveled to the Mediterranean resort of Antalya while seven months pregnant with her husband Aleksei Maryanin, despite doctors' warnings against the trip. After the child's birth in Turkey, the couple were presented with a medical bill, but did not have sufficient funds to cover it.
Russian vice-consul in Antalya, Sergei Koritsky, said: "The management of the Anadolu clinic agreed with our proposal on resolving the problem. The clinic will discharge the child from the hospital without further hindrance."
Korsakova gave birth prematurely, a few days after arriving at her hotel in Turkey. The child weighed just 1 kilogram (2 pounds 3 ounces) at birth.
The parents had been informed by their Russian insurer, Rosno, that the birth was not covered by their insurance policy.
After the insurers turned the couple down, the father approached the local Russian consulate, who along with the tour operator from which the parents had bought their package trip, agreed to cover the couple's accommodation expenses, but not the medical fees. The couple then returned to Russia without informing the consulate.
Korsakova contacted the Antalya consulate from Russia, who informed her that the child cannot leave Turkey until a birth certificate and other necessary documents are issued.
However, the spokesman said the financial issues would not be a barrier to returning the child to Russia, and would be discussed by the parties concerned - the insurance company, the tourist operator and the parents - after the boy's arrival in Russia. The arrival date will be known Sunday, he said.
