At least 430 farmyards around the country will host brunches on August 1, Swiss National Day. Four cabinet members will be among the 200,000 expected guests.
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, who also holds this year’s revolving presidency, is set to appear in Saanen, canton Bern.
Defence Minister will also be in canton Bern, at Bärau, Interior Minister Didier Burkhalter will make an appearance at La Brévine, canton Neuchâtel, and Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann will visit the “farmers’ fry-up” in Charrat, canton Valais.
However, because this year’s National Day comes less than two months before federal elections, farmers have been told to turn away any political advertising and to lay off political statements themselves.
Anyone interested in attending a farmer’s breakfast has until July 30 to register at brunch.ch. The biggest events are taking place at Pfeffingen, canton Basel Country, and Freidorf, canton Thurgau, where around 1,000 brunchers are expected.
It was also reported that the new president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, who has Swiss grandchildren, will attend an August 1 party at the Swiss embassy in Abidjan, the country’s largest city. Some 200 Swiss are expected.
One of Ouattara’s daughters married a man from Geneva and lives in Switzerland.
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