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‘Preparation for the Olympics?’… French government plans to relocate homeless people to Paris ‘controversy’

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French government demands establishment of ‘temporary accommodation facilities’ in each French city
City of Paris, “Demanding measures from the government from several years ago… Olympic unrelated”

The French government has sparked controversy after announcing plans to send homeless people from Paris to other parts of France ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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On the 27th (local time), the Telegraph and others in the UK demanded that the French government install ‘temporary accommodations’ to accommodate thousands of homeless people, including migrants, in each city across France, except for northern Corsica, from around March. It is reported that the market is in disarray. Mayors across France are said to be concerned about the capacity of their regions to accommodate the homeless.

French Housing Minister Olivier Klein addressed homelessness and refugee acceptance in parliament this month. He said many visits are expected during the Rugby World Cup, which will be held in September and October. He said that this fall many hotels would prefer not to serve as emergency accommodation for the homeless or refugees, instead of accepting visitors, and during next summer’s Olympics.

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Philippe Salmon, mayor of Brux, a small town in northwest France with a population of 18,000, said Brugs has been asked to accommodate 50 people every three weeks from around September until the end of 2024. “We are already oversaturated,” he stressed.

Salmon also criticized the condition of the land designated to house homeless immigrants from Paris. “I am not opposed to providing housing to the homeless per se, but (housing) should be provided under appropriate conditions,” he said. “(The area) is contaminated with heavy metals and gasoline, so people can be accommodated with dignity. I want to make sure it is,” he said.

According to British media Guardian, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said: “No one will be forced to leave Paris and[the homeless people]are not obliged to go to the other side of France.” “This is a long-standing issue that ‘has nothing to do with the Olympics’, and for many years the city of Paris has been asking the government to come up with a solution,” he explained.

Emmanuel Gregoire, deputy mayor in charge of urban planning in Paris, said, “The housing of the homeless and migrants depends on the state. “We have set up a place to provide urgent accommodation for those in our responsibilities, including families with young children, but this is something we cannot do alone and our work is also ours. No,” he said. “It is not true that there will be mass expulsions from Paris (before the Olympics),” he added.

The Avepierre Foundation, a non-profit organization related to housing and poverty in France, said, “(Regarding the relocation plan), transparency is not very high. “I’m worried about putting people on the bus without (sufficiently) notifying them,” he said.

Source: Donga

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