Swiss Abroad

Protecting human rights or industry interests?

This content was published on Apr 18, 2013 After years of negotiations the United Nations in March agreed the first ever legally binding international treaty to regulate the multi-billion dollar business, with the goal of stopping weapons sales to conflict zones. Switzerland pushed for the deal, while its own laws go beyond it.

Swiss Politics

Managing the police in the 21st century

This content was published on Apr 17, 2013 Take the police forces: cantonal sovereignty over the police is inscribed in the Swiss constitution; 26 cantons, 26 police ministers, 26 police chiefs. “In the 21st century it might seem a bit incongruous, but the system is tried and tested,” explained Christophe Koller, of the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration, and project leader of…

Swiss Politics

Are Swiss voters equal

This content was published on Apr 17, 2013

Campaigners seek to reopen Angola inquiry

This content was published on Apr 17, 2013 A spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to swissinfo.ch that the complaint had arrived by post on Wednesday. The basis for the complaint is new information contained in a report released on Tuesday by a British organisation, Corruption Watch UK, and Angolan anti-corruption group Mäos Livres. An earlier Swiss criminal investigation into the affair…

Swiss Politics

Nigerian drug trafficker wins expulsion appeal

This content was published on Apr 16, 2013 The man first came to Switzerland in 2001 under a false identity, having been convicted of a drug-trafficking offence in Austria. His application for asylum was rejected. He married a Swiss national in 2003 and is the father of twin girls born the same year. His second conviction came in 2006 in Germany. He returned…

Swiss Politics

Parliament opposes diplomatic cutbacks

This content was published on Apr 16, 2013 An overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives on Tuesday backed proposals by the foreign affairs committee calling on Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter to reconsider the closures of the Swiss representations. Those opposing a reconsideration were mostly members of the Radical Party. The decision still needs to be confirmed by the Senate. Members of the…

Swiss Politics

Latest asylum reform faces nationwide vote

This content was published on Apr 16, 2013 For Moreno Casasola of the Solidarité sans Frontières group (Solidarity without Borders) voters have a choice between “being generous or being small-minded” on June 9. He says the reform, in force since last September, is “unnecessary and unreasonable”. Other campaigners have described the amendments as “absurd and disgraceful” and accused the country of being an…

Swiss Politics

Job creation remains Tunisian headache

This content was published on Apr 15, 2013 “Call centre operators wanted.” A look through the job vacancies in Tunisian newspapers suggests that for a young person just out of university who knows a couple of European languages, one of the few opportunities available is to work at a salary of 600 dinars (CHF400) in one of the many call centres which have…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland under siege as tax row escalates

This content was published on Apr 14, 2013 Having already succumbed to a United States demand for information on its citizens’ Swiss accounts, a fresh attack has been mounted by the European Union that threatens to isolate countries that refuse to bend to its will. Switzerland’s position of defiance appeared to have been weakened by Luxembourg’s capitulation last week to EU demands for…

Swiss Politics

Russian minister outlines position on Syria

This content was published on Apr 12, 2013 Lavrov was speaking to journalists in the western Swiss city of Neuchatel after holding talks on a range of bilateral and international issues with his Swiss counterpart Didier Burkhalter. While admitting that it was “per se, absolutely right” that there should be no impunity over war crimes in Syria, he said some “unscrupulous” people were…

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