Permanent Emergency
The shelter in Esch is undergoing renovations, and around 40 refugees housed there have been moved to other accommodation. But many centres are full, and there is a lack of empty beds. Some residents were forced to spend months at the Tony Rollmann centre in Kirchberg, a warehouse of tents. Recently, a group of them addressed an open letter to the government seeking assistance.
Osman J. spent four months in the emergency accommodation in Kirchberg. After the fire in Esch, he was brought to Kirchberg "provisionally", says the 21-year-old asylum seeker from Sierra Leone. In the beginning he was told it would only be a few days, but it quickly became clear his time there would be extended. He received very little communication from the National Reception Office (ONA).
Now in a centre in Diekirch, Osman asked the government when they would be returned to their home in Esch-sur-Alzette. In Esch, he had his own room, could cook for himself, and benefited from regular meetings with his social worker. All of that was taken away. His time in the Kirchberg accommodation pushed him to his physical and mental limits, he explains.
When asked by RTL, Minister Max Hahn was unable to say how long the renovations in Esch would take. He described the refugee accommodation situation as a "permanent emergency". 98-99% of beds are occupied.
He emphasised that an ONA centre is a temporary living option and not paid-for accommodation, so refugees should make efforts to learn the languages and find jobs as soon as possible. Access to the labour market was simplified two months ago. Refugees may now seek work after four months in Luxembourg and no longer need authorisation.
While Osman speaks French and English, he has not yet been able to secure a job. At 17 he left his home country, moving from Turkey to Greece to France, before arriving in Luxembourg in early 2024. His first request for asylum was refused, but he contested the decision and is waiting for a response. This puts many employers off, he says.
To ease pressure on existing centres, Hahn is counting on municipal councils to step in. The goal is not to create endless beds, but to close down older centres and make way for smaller, more spread out centres across the country.
Four months in a tent warehouse. Told it would be a few days. 98% of beds full. The minister calls it a permanent emergency, which is another way of saying it is no longer an emergency at all. It is simply the way things are.