Switzerland today

Greetings from Bern,

May is almost here. Time for the return of biting insects and finalising of summer holiday plans. We can't help you with either but we'll take care of the news for you. 

Keystone / Georgios Kefalas

In the news: Unboxing drones, unvaccinated commandos and sabbath zone

• They’re here and they’ll soon be hovering in the sky. After almost three years of delays, the first surveillance drones arrive from Israel. Two of six UAVs ordered will be put though their paces before being deployed to monitor Switzerland’s borders. 
• The country’s top civil court has ruled that the termination of four special forces soldiers’ contracts for refusing the Covid vaccineExternal link was not illegal. Failure to be vaccinated could affect their deployment overseas and is hence a breach of contract.
• Orthodox Jewish groups want the creation of a special zone in Zurich External linkthat will allow them to work on the Sabbath. Their day of rest stretches from sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday, and work during this time is forbidden. To get around this, the Jewish community have applied for a permit to erect a symbolic fence covering an area of 14km2 around parts of Wiedikon, Enge and Wollishofen. It would be fairly discreet and involve nothing more than tying nylon cords between posts – demarcating an Eruv or symbolically closed public space where they can conduct certain activities on the Sabbath forbidden elsewhere. 
• The newish Attorney General Stefan Blättler shared his priorities after completing a symbolic 100 days in officeExternal link. War crimes (especially in Ukraine), organised crime, financial crime and terrorism will be the focus of the top prosecutor in the coming months. He did not want to comment on the actions of his predecessor Michael Lauber who resigned after the discovery of off-the-record meetings with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. 

Keystone / Sergey Dolzhenko

Ukraine war fallout: Surrogacy business

War has severe consequences. Some of them are less well known. Ukraine is the second most popular choice for Swiss couples seeking a surrogate mother. The war is having an impact on the business. Surrogate mothers also face a difficult choice: Stay behind and risk their lives or flee abroad and give birth to a baby that cannot be legally recognised as belonging to their clients.