New reception centre for refugees inaugurated in Paris

The shelter can facilitate 400 people at a time for five to 10 days during which they will undergo psychological evaluation and can apply for asylum.

Earlier this month, authorities demolished a makeshift camp near the Stalingrad metro station where more than 3,000 refugees were living in tents.
TRT World and Agencies

Earlier this month, authorities demolished a makeshift camp near the Stalingrad metro station where more than 3,000 refugees were living in tents.

A new migrant reception centre was inaugurated on Tuesday in a northern district of Paris to prevent refugees from sleeping on the streets.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced in May her plan to build the centre which has a maximum capacity of 400. At least 7,000 refugees were removed from the Calais "Jungle" camp; some 2,000 of them made their way to the French capital and set up tents there.

The new shelter is housed in a former railway depot in the north of Paris.

"Camps are not the solution," Minister for Housing and Sustainable Habitat Emmanuelle Cosse who opposed the decision told Europe 1 radio in June. Cosse said more than a thousand refugees would rush into the city shortly after the inauguration.

"The solution is to receive people in different locations in existing structures so they can be integrated into our country," Cosse added.

The centre which is run by the Emmaüs Solidarités charity organisation will allow the refugees to stay in the camp for "five to 10 days". In that duration, the refugees will receive psychological assessment and decide where they wished to seek asylum.

Earlier this month, authorities demolished a makeshift camp near the Stalingrad metro station where more than 3,000 refugees were living in tents.

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