Emmanuel Macron defended the policy of firmness on visas on Saturday, believing that it was beginning to bear fruit. “This heat wave of the last few months has had an effect,” the French president told reporters on the sidelines of the Francophonie summit in Tunis.
“We see that the returns (of expelled migrants) are being facilitated,” he added.
30% rejection for Tunisia
In September 2021, Paris had decided to reduce by 50% the number of visas granted to Algeria and Morocco to put pressure on governments considered uncooperative in the readmission of their nationals expelled from France. The rejection rate had reached 30% for Tunisia.
This hardening has triggered waves of outrage on social media and scathing articles in Moroccan media and has chilled relations between Rabat and Paris.
“I think we have at least had a real debate in recent months on the subject of visas,” said the French head of state.
He stressed that people in an irregular situation were the result of “organized trafficking.” “As part of our partnership,” countries must take them back, he argued.
“France has the right to be sensitive”
The refusal to receive deported nationals “is not acceptable,” he also insisted. “Susceptibility is on both sides. France also has the right to be sensitive,” she said.
Emmanuel Macron reiterated his support for “student, economic, academic and political mobility”. This mobility has been “endangered by many countries that have not fulfilled their commitments with France”, he has insisted.
“It is not acceptable that we do not accept foreigners in an irregular situation who have been identified as dangerous and disturbing public order,” concluded the French president.
Source: BFM TV
