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Award success for young immigrant
A 19-year-old Albanian ‘without papers’ is invited to the Senate today after being voted ‘best apprentice joiner’
AN ALBANIAN immigrant who was initially banned from picking up his prize due to being illegally resident is to be awarded ‘Best Apprentice Joiner of France’ today.
Armando Curri, 19, from the Loire, is joining 338 other young people at the Senate this morning to receiving gold medals in different categories in the Best Apprentice awards for 2014.
He has also been granted three months of official residency rights.
However Mr Curri, who impressed finals judges last year with his work on a fireplace, was originally told by the Senate that he could not come because he lacked proper permission for living in France.
He came to France three years ago and initially benefited from rules protecting ‘isolated minors’; however, since he turned 18 he has been under pressure to leave. Despite his situation he successfully completed a CAP carpentry course last year and is now following a professional Bac course in the Roanne area.
After a row over the ban, the Senate had a change of heart, saying in a statement: “As a matter of principle and as an institution of the Republic, charged with helping make law, the Senate has a duty to respect it. However, as a matter of practicality, apprenticeship is a path to excellence that the Senate constantly aims to promote.”
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The statement added that it had been decided not to block the young man’s attendance at the ceremony, after informing the Interior Ministry, adding Mr Curri’s achievement is a “success that deserves to be recognised”.
His prefecture has now annulled the requirement to leave France on granting the temporary residence right.
A spokeswoman for the awards said in fact anyone gaining more than 18/20 in the finals was invited and is considered "one of the best apprentices of France" in their category. She said Mr Curri was one of 11 gold medallists for joinery who were invited today, joining others for around 100 different trades. He had to pass through departmental and regional levels before taking part in the national contest last year.
