It took them more than a month to get the precious sesame, and go through a real administrative labyrinth that they will remember for a long time. Svitlana and Anastasiia, a Ukrainian mother and her 10-year-old daughter, arrived in France on January 19, for vacation. But the war broke out in the middle of their stay, and the two Ukrainians found themselves unable to return to their country, but also to obtain the precious paper which allowed them to stay, granted only to Ukrainians who had fled the conflict after February 24. It took a letter from the Elysée and the help of a caring director for the situation to resolve…
It must have been a banal linguistic stay. Anastasiia takes French lessons in France and her mother takes the opportunity to spend a few holidays with one of her friends, Laurent, occupational hygienist, met during holidays in 2020, and who lives in Chevilly-Larue (Val- de-Marne). On February 24, everything becomes complicated. kyiv, where they come from, is under bombardment, there is not even a plane to return. She finds herself trapped with her daughter, stuck with only her belongings for the stay, without money, without even all her papers. And with only three weeks to regularize the situation, because the legal deadline for them expires on March 13…
“No need to ask for temporary protection, you won’t get it”
Laurent will do everything to help his friends, who don’t speak French. He tries to reach the prefecture of Créteil, which does not answer, and the prefecture of Aix-en-Provence, the closest to their vacation spot, which sends him back to the prefecture of Créteil. The ping-pong continues for about fifteen emails, and several appointments at the Ofii, the French Office for Immigration and Integration.
He understands that there is temporary protection that should be given to Ukrainians fleeing the bombs, but that this is only given to those who fled after February 24. “Between February 24 and March 13, no one was able to answer me. I contacted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who promised to call back and never called back. La Cimade [association de soutien aux migrants et migrantes] was stuck on temporary protection. Nobody knew. »
On March 4, the Council of Europe finally votes the famous temporary protection, which grants asylum for one year to Ukrainian refugees. Six days later, the prefecture of Créteil agrees to give them an appointment, for March 21. But in Créteil, the director of migrations and integration tells them of her dismay. “There’s no need to ask for temporary protection, you won’t get it,” she basically told them, because Svitlana and Anastasiia arrived before February 24. However, she agrees to inquire and try to find a solution, and asks them to call back ten days later.
A clear decision
Laurent is disappointed and very unhappy with this situation. Svitlana is less surprised: “I had always heard that there was a lot of bureaucracy in the European Union. And I knew there were a lot of people arriving.” In desperation, Laurent writes to the President of the Republic, without really expecting a return.
The EU Council decision however, is clear: “Member States should be encouraged to consider extending temporary protection to persons who fled Ukraine shortly before 24 February 2022, as tensions increased, or who found themselves in the territory of Ukraine. Union (for example, on vacation or for professional reasons) just before this date and who, due to the armed conflict, cannot return to Ukraine,” she says.
Letter to Santa Claus
The response from the Elysee arrives a few days later, the president’s chief of staff, Brice Blondel, indicating on March 25 that he had reported their situation to the prefect of Val-de-Marne. The family cheers loudly. “It’s as if we had sent a letter to Santa Claus, and he had replied! Svitlana laughs again. In fact, on April 4, during the appointment at the prefecture promised by the director of migrations and integration, the family finally obtains the precious sesame.
“And there everything is put in place immediately, payment card, Social Security… We find France! », enthuses Laurent. Despite this long course of combatants (and combatants), Svitlana does not hold it against France. “The French were very friendly. Everywhere, as soon as I said I was from Ukraine, people really wanted to help us. His friend is relieved, but worried for other Ukrainians who find themselves in the same situation and have not necessarily had the same luck. “I live this double standard as a terrible injustice. We realize that we have to fight to benefit from the law. »