Discussing the drug- and crime-related problems in Luxembourg City's Quartier de la gare, Ritz stated that he can understand that locals feel "uneasy" regarding the "drug trafficking, prostitution, and crime happening right at their doorsteps". The main offices of Stëmm vun der Strooss, a non-profit which supports the social and professional integration of disadvantaged people, are in fact located in Hollerich.
However, Ritz also argued that any neighbourhood surrounding a major city's railway station faces these problems, i.e. they are not particular to Luxembourg City. Expelling the people responsible for the problems would also merely shift the problem elsewhere, Ritz stated. He himself is not anxious or afraid living around the railway station, Ritz explained, pointing out that the people in question are also not just criminals. Often, they are people "who have problems, who are not doing well and are in need of help". According to Ritz, before fighting crime, the focus should be on fighting poverty.
Regarding the current situation for homeless people, the Stëmm vun der Strooss spokesman explained that those without a place to live were often socially isolated. They had less contact with both other people and social workers. However, the situation is improving and non-profits such as Stëmm vun der Stross are trying to re-establish the connections they had prior to the pandemic, Ritz stated. The so-called Wanteraktioun, an initiative by the Ministry of Family Affairs which aims at giving homeless people a refuge available 24/7 during the months of extreme cold, was extended by three months until 29 June, which was "a big relief". Now that the initiative is over, Stëmm vun der Stross will once again focus on distributing sleeping bags and increasing the activity at the Kleederstuff, where disadvantaged people can get free clothes. Those in need will also be able to take a shower at their offices or visit a doctor. In addition, Ritz announced that the offices in Hollerich and Esch-sur-Alzette will organise events throughout July aimed at vaccinating homeless people against Covid-19. So far, around 60 people have been vaccinated in the context of the Wanteraktioun, but there are still many left, according to Ritz.
Ritz also expressed his happiness and gratitude regarding the outstanding generosity of the non-profit's donors in 2020. The donations are used to organise a variety of activities, including trips to the Amnéville Zoo or an evening at the Schueberfouer, "should it take place". However, one of the non-profit's biggest projects at the moment is the so-called Schweessdrëps 2 ("sweat drop 2"), which is planned to take place in Sanem. The project aims at recycling and redistributing 500 tonnes of foodstuffs from Auchan and washing clothes from sports clubs in southern Luxembourg. According to Ritz, Schweessdrëps 2 will create 50 additional jobs for people in professional reinsertion programmes. However, Stëmm vun der Strooss still requires further donations to make the project happen.
According to the latest figures of the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC), around 1.2% of Luxembourg's population live in poverty. Since the early 2000s, the rate regularly fluctuated between 1% and 2%, but since then the population has grown and in his interview, Ritz confirmed that more and more people are living on the streets. Regarding these people's backgrounds, Ritz explained that in Esch-sur-Alzette, Stëmm vun der Strooss is mostly dealing with elderly Luxembourgers without social connections. The situation is different in Luxembourg City, but the non-profit also encounters Luxembourgish, Portuguese, and Romanian nationals there. Ritz thinks that ending up on the streets could "happen to anyone experiencing a traumatic event or without anyone to look after them". He stressed that people living on the streets are "not just drug addicts and criminals".
