Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said an improvement of the situation in Ukraine was not foreseeable in the near future and attacks by Russian forces, targeting infrastructure, including energy supplies, were still to be expected throughout the country.
“The Ukrainian civilian population is suffering from the ongoing Russian attacks,” Keller-Sutter said at a news conference on Wednesday. “The people are facing a cold winter.”
For the protected status S to be lifted again, a sustainable normalisation of the situation is needed, Keller-Sutter continued. A safe return for the refugees is therefore not possible.
In line with the EU
The so-called S protection status will therefore not be lifted before 4 March 2024, unless the situation changes fundamentally by then. In this way, the government wants to clarify the situation for those seeking protection, as well as the cantonal authorities, municipalities and employers.
Last month, the European Union indicated that, against the backdrop of the current situation in Ukraine, it also expected temporary protection to be extended until spring 2024.
“There’s a war on European territory,” said Keller-Sutter. “That is why a joint approach makes sense.”
So far, around 68,000 people have been granted special refugee status in Switzerland. Persons who are granted protection status S may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit. They may also engage in gainful employment (including self-employment) without having to wait a certain period to do so, according to the State Secretariat for Migration.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Swiss price watchdog negotiates lower fees for card payments
This content was published on
Small businesses in Switzerland will have to pay fewer fees for cashless payments from customers over the next few years.
Lakes in Central Switzerland have best water quality for bathing
This content was published on
Anyone who swims in a lake in Central Switzerland need have no fear of infection from intestinal bacteria. The water samples taken at 65 bathing sites in 13 lakes all have good to excellent bathing water quality.
This content was published on
Unknown assailants have stolen a historic ring from a Basel museum. The stolen item was a gift from Russian Tsar Alexander I to his host in Basel in 1814.
More May hotel guests in Basel than at any time in past 90 years
This content was published on
Basel hotels recorded 150,854 overnight stays for the Eurovision Song Contest in May. This corresponds to a year-on-year increase of 8.4%.
Demand remains high for rental flats in Switzerland
This content was published on
More rental flats are once again being advertised on property portals in Switzerland. However, demand also remains very high.
One in five Europeans exposed to too much traffic noise
This content was published on
More than one in five Europeans are exposed to unhealthily high levels of traffic noise, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).
New living space through densification often comes at expense of the poor
This content was published on
If demolition and new construction are carried out and tenants have to make way, low-income households are affected more often than average.
This content was published on
The ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war has visibly eased tensions on the financial markets. The SMI, Switzerland's leading stock market index, has risen above the 12,000 point mark again.
Justice minister seeks to clarify legal status for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter says there is no need to extend the special legal status for Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland.
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.