Refugees in the Var riverbed, due to the lack of available space, a group of Roma is threatened by the floods of this river. A legal decision provides for the dismantling of these camps: And then, will it be temporary relocation or expulsion from French territory? The decision lies with the Prefect, caught between two fires: humanitarian or security concerns. A choice that is not simple and criticized in advance!
For Christian Estrosi, Deputy Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis:
“While I am pleased with the dismantling of the Roma camps set up on the banks of the Var, which accommodate a hundred people, I will ensure that this dismantling does not destroy the efforts made over several years to curb this phenomenon.”
The next evacuation of this camp is likely to lead these populations to resettle in different parts of the city.
In response to this position, the Alternatifs retort: “While the prefect initially proposes a temporary installation, Estrosi and Ciotti, who have been competing with the National Front for years, oppose this installation.
According to the mayor of Nice, who seeks to turn the population against foreigners, the presence of the Roma contradicts the construction of a school canteen and the creation of a new 40-meter road linked to the Ikea project. As for Deputy Ciotti, he echoes the racist theme of the risk of invasion by criticizing the government’s circular, however quite timid, that would delay expulsion to Romania and create a ‘pull factor’.”
