Guest of La Grande interview Europe /CNews on Thursday, Prisca Thevenot, government spokesperson, returned to the insurrectional situation in New Caledonia and believes that it was difficult to predict.
Guest of La Grande interview Europe 1/Cnews, Prisca Thevenot, government spokesperson, gave her analysis of the situation in New Caledonia. She believes in particular that “no one could imagine such violence” when referring to the violent riots which have agitated the island for a week. “3,000 law enforcement officers are already on site. This is twice as much as is normally planned in New Caledonia,” said the spokesperson.
Initially, 1,700 reinforcements were planned on site, then 1,000 came to complete these numbers and others should join these teams in the coming hours, assures Prisca Thevenot. “These security forces will stay as long as necessary,” she says. She also adds that these teams could operate until the Olympic Games are held “if necessary”.
“Be there in national solidarity”
The violence shaking the island has had considerable consequences on the local economy. The figure of one billion euros of damage is mentioned. Will the State have to cover these costs? For the government spokesperson, the question does not arise in these terms: “It is not so much about going there with the checkbook. We have to understand what is happening. We have families and workers who have lost everything. We must also be able to be there in national solidarity. This does not mean that we are going to exonerate those responsible for these acts,” she concludes.
Emmanuel Macron, who arrived in New Caledonia on Thursday, called for a return “as quickly as possible” to “security” and “dialogue” by promising “decisions” and “announcements” at “the end of this day “.