On 14 November 2016, the Board of the Mayor and Aldermen from the Clervaux municipality and the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure held a public information meeting on the development of new temporary refugee centre in Marnach.
Following a short introduction by Emile Eicher and Jacquot Heinen, the Minister for Family and Integration Corinne Cahen highlighted the current situation of asylum seekers in Luxembourg. She also presented the OLAI’s (Office luxembourgeois de l’accueil et de l’intégration) objectives in terms of the reception and management of refugees.
The Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, François Bausch, then explained that this sort of administration should not be the sole responsibility of the municipalities. Bausch presented the blueprint for the future implementation of temporary refugee centres and for the reconversion of the former radio wave sites in Marnach into green spaces.
The Minister has predicted that these new centres on the ‘Schwaarzenhiwel’ site will be able to hold up to 300 asylum seekers, who can stay there until they receive their official asylum status. Following this, they will be rehomed in different municipalities. These temporary centres are estimated to last for five years.
There was also a speech by the Minister of National Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, who explained how children of asylum seekers will be schooled. The Ministry to which Meisch belongs, has planned the necessary spaces for children to benefit from an educational framework. The measures aim to integrate these children as quickly as possible into Luxembourgish primary schools whilst respecting the municipalities’ available facilities and skills.
During his speech, the Minister of the Interior, Dan Kersch, reiterated that the state needs to respond to its international engagements regarding the reception of asylum seekers whilst also having the support of the municipalities in this respect. It is a shared responsibility.
At the end of the meeting, the ministers responded to the public’s questions.
Photo by MInistry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure.
