Russian asset freeze reaches CHF5.75bn in Switzerland
The Swiss authorities have so far frozen some CHF5.75 billion ($6.2 billion) of sanctioned Russian oligarch assets, with the total expected to rise as the European Union announces further measures.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Español
es
Suiza ha bloqueado 5 750 millones de francos en activos de oligarcas rusos
Erwin Bollinger, head of Seco’s Bilateral Economic Relations department, said the assets have been frozen but not confiscated as there is no legal basis to take away ownership rights.
This means in effect that the money and property cannot be transferred, sold or used as collateral for loans.
Seco is working with cantons to identify Russian owned properties in land registries. The department is also searching for sanctioned assets, such as art or gold bullion, stored in Swiss free ports.
At first, Switzerland refused to freeze assets when Russia invaded Ukraine, saying this would impair its neutrality. But the government was forced to change its mind following concerted pressure both within Switzerland and from abroad.
At present, Switzerland applies sanctions to 874 individuals and 62 corporate entities. This number is likely to increase with the EU planning further sanctions.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.