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National day leads to fresh search for Swiss identity

This content was published on Jul 31, 2000 On the 809th anniversary of the founding of the Swiss Confederation, the debate about Swiss identity is raging as vigorously as ever. The central question is how a place with four national languages and a population of only seven million – 20 per cent of whom are foreigners – can consider itself a “country” in…

The business week ahead

This content was published on Jul 30, 2000 Analysts are expecting operating profits to be up around 50 per cent and sales figures to increase by about 40 per cent. The company has been increasing its market share with an aggressive policy of takeovers and acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Selecta has its Annual General Assembly on Monday where the board…

Swiss aid unit pulls out of Bosnia

This content was published on Jul 30, 2000 On Monday, the regional bases in Mostar and Tuzla will be shut down. The third regional base in Banja Luka will close in November, followed by the headquarters in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo. For four years, 45 men and women, who form an unarmed military unit known as the yellow berets, have provided expertise and…

Swiss-Germans show more interest in national Expo.02

This content was published on Jul 30, 2000 The French-speaking Swiss retained their interest in Expo, which is scheduled to open in 2002, with 61 per cent claiming they were keen to take a trip there. Organisers of the exhibition carried out the survey and discovered that people were less concerned about the entrance fee. The organisers found that people were more positive…

Concorde crash sparks calls for new airport in Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 30, 2000 On Tuesday last week, all 109 people on board a Concorde were killed when it came down only minutes after leaving Charles de Gaulle airport. But another five people were killed in the hotel into which the burning aircraft crashed and exploded. In the wake of the accident, Overney has pointed out that the country’s…

Swiss Post Office plans further savings

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 In an interview with the Berner-Zeitung newspaper, Streich hinted at the possibility of developing mobile post offices and suggested cooperating with concerns which operate similar businesses. He said the management of the Post Office had to work within the constraints of the market. Streich believes the public service mandate of the Post Office has to…

Village food shops face an uncertain future

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 In a terse letter, the Frimago distribution company in Zurich informed the stores that supplies to them would end in September, because they were not ordering enough merchandise to warrant deliveries. The announcement caused outrage among many Swiss, who see these small family enterprises as an integral part of the landscape. It also made front-page…

Swiss tourism: aiming for top quality standards

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 The award was created three years ago by the Swiss federal tourism office in a bid to improve the quality of service in Switzerland’s vital tourism sector, a key engine of the Swiss economy. “At first we created a quality charter but found that just signing up outlets to high standards was not enough. So…

The business week in review

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 But it made the deal conditional on the two companies making a range of divestments. The Commission expressed concern that the merged company would be in a position to monopolise markets for crop protection products. AstraZeneca and Novartis said the necessary divestments represented less than five per cent of the sales of the new division,…

With the help of an old blue bus, Roy Probert discovers that Geneva doesn’t have to cost a fortune

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 It’s a far cry from the eerie magnificence of the Jet d’Eau fountain or the grandeur of the old town. When the station does eventually spit the bedraggled backpacker out into the city, he’s confronted with money – expensive boutiques, signs for private banks and insurance companies. “This is a wealthy city,” they seem to…

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National day leads to fresh search for Swiss identity

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The business week ahead

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Swiss aid unit pulls out of Bosnia

More

Swiss-Germans show more interest in national Expo.02

More

Concorde crash sparks calls for new airport in Switzerland

More

Swiss Post Office plans further savings

More

Village food shops face an uncertain future

More

Swiss tourism: aiming for top quality standards

More

The business week in review

More

With the help of an old blue bus, Roy Probert discovers that Geneva doesn’t have to cost a fortune

Popular Stories

Most Discussed