France and Britain are at odds over Ukrainian refugees in the french port of Calais. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has urged Britain on Sunday to do more for help Ukrainian refugees, saying British authorities are turning many back for not having the necessary visas or papers.
The UK’s response is “completely inadequate” and shows a lack of humanity”towards the refugees who are often “in distress,” said Darmanin in a letter to son British counterpart Priti Patel seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), urging London to set up adequate consular presence in Calais to issue visas.
“I have twice contacted twice my British counterpart, I told him to set up a consulate in Calais,” Darmanin also told Europe 1 radio, referring to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Hundreds of Ukrainians came to Calais in the last days after fleeing Russia invasion of their country in the hope join relatives already established in Great Britain
“We have good reports with (Patel). I am sure he is an honest person. I am sure she goes solve this problem,” he added.
Darmanin said that in the last days 400 Ukrainian refugees presented themselves at the Calais border posts but some 150 of on told them to leave and get visas from British consulates in Paris or Brussels.
France said on Thursday that Britain set up a pop-up visa center in Calais to issue visas after Great Britain announced a family diet to allow immediate and extended family members of Ukrainians settled in UK to get there.
Darmanin and Patel clashed in the past over how France and Great Britain attack each other issue of migrants – many from Africa and the Middle East – risking their lives crossing the English Channel in makeshift canoes.
Migration is a sensitive topic issue in Britain, where Brexit campaigners told voters leaving the European Union would mean taking back control of borders. London has in the past threatened to cut financial support for French border police if they fail to stem the flow of immigrants.
Last November, 27 migrants died trying to cross the English Channel in a canoe.
The tragedy prompted the two sides to swap accusations of not doing enough to protect migrants and crack down on people traffickers who organize dangerous crossings in small boats.
“Our coasts have been the theater of too many human tragedies,” Darmamin told Patel, alluding to the risk that Ukrainians could seek to cross illegally by sea if they did not obtain visas.
“You must not add to these Ukrainian families,” he said.
