Swiss Abroad

French-Swiss tax impasse shows little progress

This content was published on Mar 6, 2014 The main agenda item for the French minister’s visit was a discussion with his Swiss counterpart, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, about an agreement on inheritance tax that runs the risk of failing to pass Swiss parliament. Moscovici warned that if it does fail, France would not be willing to re-negotiate the agreement. The deal on the table…

Swiss Politics

Critics outraged over easing of arms exports

This content was published on Mar 6, 2014 The motion was passed with 94 votes against 93 and six parliamentarians abstaining. In a rare exception, the speaker of the House took part in the vote and made the difference. The decision means that Swiss weapons exports are only banned to countries where there is a major risk that the arms are used to…

Swiss Politics

Deportation costs soared in 2013

This content was published on Mar 6, 2014 Higher payments to airports and for accompanying physicians are to blame, the government said. The figures, reported by Swiss public radio, SRF, on Thursday, were released in response to a query by Parliamentarian Heinz Brand of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, who called the higher costs “exorbitant”. Two factors contributed to the increase, according…

Swiss Politics

Giving dead commuter towns the kiss of life

This content was published on Mar 6, 2014 There was a time when old farmhouses with a wooden bench out in the front dotted the landscape in Suberg, a village west of the capital Bern. In the evenings, tired farmers would retreat to their bench and neighbours would drop in for a chat. But those days are long gone. Most of the farms…

Swiss Politics

Training for Russian soldiers put on ice

This content was published on Mar 5, 2014 This year, 42 members of the Russian armed forces were set to attend the army’s advanced training centre in Andermatt, canton Uri, and benefit from Swiss mountain know-how, according to defence ministry spokesman Reto Kalbermatten. Confirming reports in the Aargauer Zeitung and Südostschweiz, he said Switzerland had “diplomatically” made contact with the Russian defence ministry…

Swiss Politics

Ethiopian expats divided on co-pilot’s motives

This content was published on Mar 5, 2014 For Switzerland’s 2,000-strong Ethiopian community – like many other expat communities divided by politics back home – finding common ground or agreeing on the reason for the hijacking on February 17 is nearly impossible. United by their homeland, Ethiopians living in Geneva regroup separately according to their political convictions, meeting at distinct venues, including the…

Swiss Politics

Activists break into Swiss nuclear plant

This content was published on Mar 5, 2014 The activists, from Switzerland and other European countries, entered the site early on Wednesday morning using ladders to scale exterior fences. Several people climbed one of the buildings on the site, which went into operation 45 years ago, and attached banners declaring “The End”. The local police are currently negotiating with the demonstrators. In a…

Swiss Politics

Tracking down Ukraine’s illicit asset trail

This content was published on Mar 4, 2014 The exiled former President of Ukraine and his minions stole $70 billion (CHF61.5 billion) from state coffers, says new Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The question remains: how much of those assets currently lies in Swiss banks? The Swiss government has taken no chances by blocking the accounts of Yanukovych and 19 of his associates on February…

Swiss Politics

Swiss push OSCE ‘contact group’ to defuse crisis

This content was published on Mar 3, 2014 Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Burkhalter said the contact group would support Ukraine during its transition and coordinate aid; it could also discuss sending observers to monitor the rights of national minorities. “Recent events unfolding before our eyes in Ukraine have shown us that peace, security and human rights…

Swiss Politics

Swiss in the EU? What has the vote meant for you?

This content was published on Mar 3, 2014 More generally, what sorts of comments do you hear about the Swiss vote? Do you think this decision permanently changed the image of Switzerland abroad?

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