A cruise ship from the TUI company, the “Mein Schiff 2”, docked this Saturday morning in Ajaccio one hour late. It was blocked in the gulf by nationalist militants.
At dawn, five activists from Core in Fronte, an independence party represented in the Corsican assembly, climbed into a small boat and prevented the giant from docking at the Ajaccio port while a dozen supporters demonstrated on the quay. . Véronique Pietri, elected to the assembly of Corsica, was present during this operation.
“We wanted to carry out this action with this company because it was condemned last May for excessive discharges at the port of Marseille. We are not against cruises in principle, we simply ask for regulation and an in-depth study on the environmental and health impact. We already know that a boat docked for one day, with the engine running, pollutes as much as 800,000 to 1 million cars. We will always choose health over the economy,” Luc Bernardini, spokesman for Core in Fronte, told AFP.
“On June 17, via our social networks, we requested a meeting on the subject and we had no response, it is for this reason that we acted”, justified the spokesperson speaking of “a symbolic action”. The activists spoke of “respect for the people” who do not “have to suffer permanent intoxication”.
Four new cruise ships expected on Monday
Monday, four new cruise ships are expected in the imperial city, according to Luc Bernardini. On Wednesday, the association for the defense of the environment “A Sentinella” calls for a rally in front of the town hall of Ajaccio. Core in Fronte activists will be present. Contacted by AFP, the Corsica-du-Sud Chamber of Commerce and Industry, port manager, could not be reached.
Demonstrations against cruise ships deemed polluting have multiplied in recent months. On June 17, a ship was asked to leave the port of Nice a few hours after its arrival following complaints from local residents about the fumes it was emitting.
A few days earlier, about twenty activists in canoes had blocked the entry into the port of Marseille of the largest liner in the world, the “Wonder of the seas” for two hours, also denouncing “air pollution”. generated by the cruise industry.