Antonia Ganeto, spokesperson for Finkapé, Luxembourg’s afrodescendant network, said it was a complex matter, but it was clear the situation required intervention.
The couple, originally from Nigeria, had initially fled to Ukraine, before leaving for Luxembourg when Russia invaded earlier this year. They were refused temporary protection in the Grand Duchy, although Ganeto says this must be put into context:
“It is clear the couple were refused, but the baby was born here in Luxembourg and this must be taken into consideration in their file. The mother also suffered from health problems.”
Ganeto said it should not be the case that a couple with a new baby could simply be abandoned to the streets:
“We know there are structural issues in Luxembourg with finding accommodation, and it is difficult for vulnerable people to simply leave overnight. This is why we believe such people should be given protection for the duration of the period they have in which to appeal the decision.”
Certainly, the couple should have been given notice that they needed to leave. But Ganeto points out that from this moment onwards, they would have been offered no further support, but the lack of accommodation renders them more vulnerable:
“We think the situation should have been handled differently, given the family have such a young baby. A different approach was needed, with a solution in mind from the start.”
The Finkapé spokeswoman underlined that this situation required intervention from the outset. The organisation has supported the couple in collecting their things and helping them find a hotel room. The network is also making calls to find alternative short-term accommodation for the otherwise homeless family.
RTL was unable to interview the National Reception Office or the Ministry of Immigration on the matter, on the basis that an individual case could not be discussed for data protection reasons. However, the ONA said the family could be accommodated in one of its structures on a provisional basis.
