The statements from the two institutions of the Republic address the same issue, but what a difference in content and style. On one hand, there is respect for the law combined with humanity in the aid to the most disadvantaged. On the other, there is the search for propaganda effect with purely electoral intentions.
One is entitled to wonder why the firmness in European immigration policy, which Eric Ciotti demands, has not been implemented by the successive governments he unwaveringly supported.
It is always easy to ask others to do what one could not do oneself.
Deceit as a method of political action? We’ve seen it before!
Statement from the Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes
By order of November 14, 2013, the Administrative Court of Nice granted the
request of the General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes to ask the families occupying the banks of the Var River without rights or titles to vacate the premises.
This morning, following this decision, the Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes, after being approached by the General Council for public force assistance, carried out the eviction of persons still present in this unclean and dangerous camp. They left the site, at the behest of the authorities, without any particular incident. The services of the General Council were able to simultaneously clean up the area.
On this occasion, the Prefecture wishes to recall how it anticipated this
operation, with the concern to consider the human aspect of the situation as much as possible, as it had done during previous evacuations, by making a rigorous application of the provisions of the interministerial circular of August 26, 2013, relating to the anticipation and support of the evacuation of illicit camps.
Since last winter, the Prefect has cleared 9
camps or squats in the department, in the municipalities of Nice, Saint Laurent-du-Var, and Antibes, in compliance with the rules of law. These evacuations, executed without public order disturbances, were
systematically preceded by a diagnostic work of the situations and encouragement for the departure of individuals in evidently irregular situations on our territory.
Without prejudice to deportation possibilities, emphasis has thus been systematically placed, well in advance of the evacuation operations, and repeatedly, on voluntary return assistance for the concerned families. The French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) has been particularly mobilized for this purpose by the Prefect.
29 adults and 9 children present in illicit camps and squats have thus already benefited from return assistance since the beginning of the year, and the cases of 9 families settled on the Var banks who have presented themselves to the OFII are under examination.
Moreover, ahead of or during these different evacuation operations, the most vulnerable families (presence of pregnant women close to term or very young children) have been temporarily taken care of by the emergency social services funded by the State.
Finally, in conjunction with the interministerial delegation for sheltering and access to housing for homeless or poorly housed individuals (DIHAL), the Prefecture has developed a partnership project for integration through work, schooling for children, and housing to benefit families with strong integration prospects.
Thus, 6 families from the Var riverbank camp, whose children attend school regularly, are receiving social support and emergency housing while awaiting a more permanent solution.
