Glarus open-air assembly agrees to fund tourism

The 631st open-air assembly on the main square of Glarus took place under blue skies and lasted well into the afternoon. Keystone

The annual open-air assembly in the Swiss canton of Glarus has approved plans for providing public funds to support cable-car installations in the mountainous region.

The decision, approved by a majority of the citizens taking part in the assembly on Sunday, paves the way for a CHF12.5 million ($12.5 million) credit over the next four years to co-finance projects by two ailing cable-car operators.

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Voters also approved an amended revenue sharing scheme between the canton and the municipalities, as well as the introduction of the principle of granting public access to official records and mandatory training courses for dog owners.

However, voters came out against extending the cantonal bicycle path network for an estimated CHF18 million.

Sunday’s open-air assembly in the town of Glarus, – a town some 55km (34 miles) outside the city of Zurich – attracted numerous visitors to the mountainous region.

Speakers praised the event as a “marvellous jewel of Swiss democracy”.

The event comes just a week after the only other traditional open-air assembly was held in rural canton Appenzell Inner-Rhodes in eastern Switzerland.