Γαλλία: Ενδεχόμενο επιβολής της κατάστασης έκτακτης ανάγκης

French Interior Minister Gerard Collob has today opened the possibility of a re-enforcement of the state of emergency, which was replaced today by the new anti-terrorism law in the case of a massive assault.

"In the event of a mass murder attack - like the one we experienced in Bataklan - we may be forced to re-impose it, but we will ensure that we are in

a position to manage crisis situations. If it turns out to be very serious, then we may return to the state of emergency, "said Columbus today in an interview with the French television network BFM.

The minister, however, stressed that with the new law, "we will be equally protected": "The law we have established allows us to manage this kind of situation, and in particular to prevent several attacks."

Columbus underlined that "about 20 people would be home-bound, based on the new anti-terrorist law," while under the state of emergency, 41 were under the same constraint.

The measure "will concern about 20 people and they will be monitored", the French minister stressed, noting that these people should "appear every day at a police station". He stressed that "at the beginning of the emergency, hundreds of people were being monitored, and now the number is relatively limited."

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron signed the new anti-terror law to replace the state of emergency that had been imposed on the country following the jihadist attacks in Paris in November 2015.

The bill provides for enhanced powers for government authorities (prefectures, interior ministry) to put someone (no longer a home-based restriction but to forbid him to move away from a particular area), to conduct searches near worship places, or to carry out identity checks near the border. All investigations may be conducted without prior authorization from the judicial authorities.

Source: RES-MPA