“A small roof”: refugee in France with her two children since the death of her husband in Mariupol, Inna asks for a durable accommodation to Elisabeth Borne, who came Thursday near Paris to meet displaced Ukrainians whom she intends to “welcome durably” .
“We spent five months in one family and four months in another, but it’s good to have your home,” explains the young mother in Ukrainian, her little girl Victoria, a year and a half, curled up in her arms.
Widowed since April, Inna wants to stay in France with her daughter and her son Alexandre, now in primary school. The three sleep in the same room in the Coallia reception residence in Bures-sur-Yvette (Essonne).
“We will be able to find you accommodation and learn French”, assures the Prime Minister, without ceasing to smile at the little girl.
Elisabeth Borne inquires about her profession –“accountant”– and recognizes that “it’s complicated” with a baby that must be put in the nursery, before wishing him “good luck”.
The head of government intends to move to “a new stage” in the reception of displaced Ukrainians, whose number has stabilized at around 100,000 in France, 80% of whom are women and 20,000 school children.
“Since unfortunately the war is hard in Ukraine”, the government now wants to “welcome them permanently” and “accompany” them “towards more permanent housing, employment and learning the language”, said the Prime Minister to the press. , accompanied by two ministers, Jean-Christophe Combe (Solidarities) and Olivier Klein (City and housing), and two Secretaries of State, Charlotte Caubel (Childhood) and Sonia Backes (Citizenship).
About 30,000 of these displaced people are housed in French homes. But the Ukrainians welcomed in France represent a tiny part of the approximately eight million Ukrainian refugees registered in Europe.
They are welcomed under “temporary protection”, the exceptional regime granted by the Europeans to people fleeing this conflict.
This status allows them to settle in a regular situation without having to apply for refugee status, to send their children to school, to have their medical care taken care of or to work without delay.
This reception has cost nearly 500 million euros to date, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
“Is French hard?” Elisabeth Borne asks an intimidated little girl who nods her head, before acknowledging the linguistic efforts of a very athletic schoolgirl who tells her in French “love basketball”.
Nathalie, a 61-year-old retiree, has been in France for ten months with her granddaughter, whose mother, a “military officer”, rarely comes to see her. “We defend freedom and democracy,” said the retiree.
These are “all the values ??we have in Europe”, abounds Ms. Borne, “very admiring”.
Tatiana, who was a French teacher in Ukraine, quickly found a job as a social worker with refugees, whom she also helps with language.
All “thank” France for its welcome.
But this facilitated care was criticized by the French associative fabric which denounced a two-speed reception between the Ukrainians and the rest of the exiles.
“What we have done for the Ukrainians can serve as a model” for future migration crises, believes the leader of the France Terre d’Asile association Delphine Rouilleault. Asked about this, the Prime Minister replied that it was an “exceptional situation”.
“We are and we will remain to the end alongside Ukraine,” reiterated Elisabeth Borne, who will “soon” bring together the parliamentary liaison committee on Ukraine, on which the presidents of the National Assembly sit, of the Senate and of the parliamentary groups.
02/23/2023 19:38:59 – Bures-sur-Yvette (France) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
