On Friday, the cabinet of the Luxembourg government agreed in principle to the implementation of an emergency reception concept for international protection.
In the short term, the ministers have identified three sites of existing buildings with all the necessary infrastructure (water, sewerage, power) in place to be used for temporarily accommodation for those seeking international protection. This is the case of the former Speech Center in Strassen (Centre de Logopédie) with a capacity of 300 people, the former CHL Maternity unit (wing parallel to the route d'Arlon) in Luxembourg with a capacity to host 100 vulnerable people and Building A of the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Ettelbruck. If necessary, Hall 6 of LUXEXPO in Kirchberg with a capacity of 400 people could be an additional site.
The Cabinet also agreed to the strengthening of the necessary workforce at OLAI, the official government agency for welcoming immigrants. In order to quickly address the need reinforcement, the ministers expressed their agreement to recruit from within their departments to identify, on a voluntary basis, some twenty employees to be temporarily seconded to OLAI.
In addition, the Cabinet had an initial discussion on identifying land suitable for the establishment of container villages as primary reception centres that will be available early in 2016.
Photos by Charles Caratini, copyright SIP
