The number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in France “
is increasing rapidly
”, said Prime Minister Jean Castex on Tuesday March 8 during a visit to a Parisian reception center where he spoke with several people received.
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The number of refugees "
officially counted by the PAF (border police) since February 25 is around 5,000 people, knowing that a certain number of them are in fact in transit
", indicated the Prime Minister.
Some want to go to Great Britain, others to win "
southern European countries
".
“
What is clear is that this number is increasing rapidly
”, underlined Jean Castex, after his visit to the reception center at Porte de la Chapelle, where he was welcomed by the PS mayor. of Paris and presidential candidate Anne Hidalgo.
500 refugees welcomed Monday in Paris
Noting that the reception possibilities risk being saturated very quickly, Anne Hidalgo suggested that an “
empty
” school, opposite the center, could “
perhaps be used to welcome women and children
”.
According to Jean Castex, “
more than 500
” Ukrainian refugees were welcomed in Paris on Monday, compared to around 300 per day during the weekend and only “
a few dozen
” at the start of last week.
The Prime Minister also underlined the mobilization of the French, with 10,798 accommodation places which have already been offered: 5,978 by individuals, 3,683 by communities and 1,137 by “
major accommodation operators
”.
Read alsoFrance “at the rendezvous” of welcoming Ukrainians
Individuals who want to commit to this welcome can do so on the "
I am committed to Ukraine
" platform, active since Tuesday morning, recalled Jean Castex, who was accompanied by the Minister Delegate for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa .
The number of refugees who have fled Ukraine since the invasion by the Russian army on February 24 exceeded two million on Tuesday, according to the website of the High Commissioner for Refugees which counts them.