Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Belgrade asks Swiss for help in democratising security forces

This content was published on May 4, 2001 “There’s a clear feeling in Belgrade that they need to move towards Europe, not just institutionally, but also in terms of political culture,” says Theodor Winkler, director of the Geneva-based centre. “President Kostunica believes we can respond to a direct need of his government,” he told swissinfo. The Centre is still only six months old,…

Swiss Politics

De-mining project begins in Albania with Swiss support

This content was published on May 3, 2001 They will be trained by six international supervisors, including two members of the Swiss army. The project is being supported by the Swiss Federation for De-mining. Northern Albania was heavily mined by Serb forces during the conflict in Kosovo in 1999, in an attempt to prevent cross border incursions by the Kosovo Liberation Army. In…

Swiss Politics

Democracy at its most direct in Appenzell

This content was published on Apr 30, 2001 The open air vote, known as the “Landsgemeinde”, is a tradition which dates back to the 14th century, and the only way to really understand its significance is to experience it at first hand. On this special Sunday the local train to Appenzell is unusually full, there is an atmosphere of excitement in the air,…

Swiss Politics

Swiss could spend SFr30 billion on military hardware

This content was published on Apr 30, 2001 In the German-language “SonntagsBlick”, Schmid declined to comment on precise details of the defence budget, but confirmed that pressure to invest in the Swiss military “increases every year”. Schmid rejected the suggestion that neutral Switzerland did not need to purchase such military hardware. “What we take for granted today,” Schmid told the paper, “may not…

Swiss Politics

Congo blames Uganda for murder of Red Cross workers

This content was published on Apr 28, 2001 “According to the information we have, the six ICRC workers were most probably murdered by the Ugandan army who also discovered the bodies,” said Ileka Atoki, a Congolese diplomat to the United Nations. According to the ICRC, the dead were four local workers and two foreign delegates – a Colombian man, Julio Delgado, and a…

Swiss Politics

Swiss delegates upbeat about peace hopes in Mexico

This content was published on Apr 27, 2001 The delegation, which included parliamentarians Cécile Bühlmann and Rosmarie Zapfl, held talks with government representatives and supporters of the indigenous Indians in Chiapas state on their fifth mission to the region. The head of the observation mission, Tildy Hanhart, told swissinfo that Switzerland was playing an important role in supporting the peace process simply by…

Swiss Politics

Swiss to push for tougher global anti-smoking laws

This content was published on Apr 25, 2001 The Federal Health Office said on Wednesday that it would be coming out firmly in favour of a proposed international treaty to combat smoking when it attends a World Health Organisation (WHO) meeting, which kicks off on April 30. The gathering is the second round of negotiations over a framework convention to regulate tobacco consumption,…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland forced to back down in aviation row

This content was published on Apr 24, 2001 Under the terms of the accord – reached after five hours of talks in Berlin between the Swiss transport minister, Moritz Leuenberger, and his German counterpart, Kurt Bodewig – flights over southern Germany will be reduced by 35 per cent, from the current annual figure of nearly 150,000 to 100,000. Night flights over German territory…

Swiss Politics

Tradition supported with show of hands

This content was published on Apr 23, 2001 The vote is an example of Switzerland’s direct democracy in action. Eligible voters in the half canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden crowd into “Landsgemeinde” square on the last Sunday in April (April 29) to vote on local issues and elect the council. The day begins with a religious service in the St Mauritius church – the town’s…

Swiss Politics

Swiss less Euro-phobic than EU vote suggests

This content was published on Apr 20, 2001 The survey found that only 26 per cent of the people who voted against an immediate start to negotiations were opposed outright to EU membership. In the vote on March 4, just under 77 per cent of Swiss voters rejected a proposal, put forward by centre-left groups, which called for immediate talks on joining the…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Belgrade asks Swiss for help in democratising security forces

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De-mining project begins in Albania with Swiss support

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Democracy at its most direct in Appenzell

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Swiss could spend SFr30 billion on military hardware

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Congo blames Uganda for murder of Red Cross workers

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Swiss delegates upbeat about peace hopes in Mexico

More

Swiss to push for tougher global anti-smoking laws

More

Switzerland forced to back down in aviation row

More

Tradition supported with show of hands

More

Swiss less Euro-phobic than EU vote suggests

Popular Stories

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