MAY FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS BE INFECTED AND QUARANTINED? ABOUT FAMILY OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS IN PANDEMIC TIMES
Abstract
In this time of uncertainty, during which the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has changed the daily life into an emotional turmoil, leading us, at the same time, to abandon the routine and the daily concerns, and technology has “covered” almost all activities and financial problems have suddenly appeared (again), the cohabitation of family members needs a restart for adaptability to new changes.
At present, in the pandemic context, new crisis, uncertainty periods have laid hands on us; we are on the thin line between fear and hope. The fear for a uncertain and problematic future, regarding the unspoiled maintenance of family, interpersonal relationships, leads us towards emotional instability, however, despite all these issues, the hope for identifying a new interior strength which is imperative for maintaining or, as the case may be, renewing the family relationships makes us powerful and thus, we can envisage a bright future, in which these relationships will be involved in a harmonious chain with the feelings being stored inside all family members and more.
Isolation or, if appropriate, the measure of quarantine should bring us closer to each other, benefiting from the time spent together, and the conflicts which have usually been difficult to manage, should be settled. Although being optimistic, we could consider these measures taken by the authorities as an opportunity to know each other, to do things and share experiences, “activities” which, because of daily bustle have been ignored, we can’t stop finding that, to an equal extent, these measures ordered by authorities may cause deep injuries, states of anxiety, disagreements, which, finally, determine the intervention of the courts to settle interfamily conflicts.
In this study we deal with the analysis of the impact of the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus over family relationships, especially on maintaining the personal relationships between the child and the non-resident parent, on the fulfilment of the obligation to support the minor child, on the conduct of the psychosocial inquiry necessary in civil proceedings concerning minors, on the suspension of the term of reflection granted in the case of divorce by a notarized deed and, why not, on the two-year deadline established by the legislator as a ground for divorce.
Keywords: family relationships, pandemic, coronavirus, COVID-19, personal relations, support obligation, divorce ground for divorce, psychosocial inquiry, Guardianship Authority, compensatory benefit, the best interest of the minor.