Swiss Abroad

Wealthy foreigners face higher tax bills

This content was published on Sep 23, 2012 Just over 61 per cent of voters in Basel Country approved an initiative by the Social Democrats, according to official results. In canton Bern, a parallel proposal was rejected by a two to one majority. However, 53 per cent of voters agreed to introduce a minimum tax level of SFr400,000 ($432,000) to be eligible for the…

Swiss Politics

Voters reject tougher smoking laws

This content was published on Sep 23, 2012 However, a proposal to promote musical education won approval by an overwhelming majority according to final results. Two out of three voters rejected the Lung League’s initiative for a uniform nationwide law banning smoking in indoor working places, but allowing cantons to state exceptions. Supporters of stricter regulations wanted to ban smoker’s lounges with waiter service…

Swiss Politics

Clear verdict expected on strict smoking ban

This content was published on Sep 22, 2012 Supporters of stricter regulations against second-hand smoke want to outlaw smoker’s lounges with waiter service and special bars or cafes for tobacco users. They say an estimated 10,000 people working in the restaurant sector face serious health risks because they are subjected to second-hand smoke. The Lung League – supported by health organisations, trade unions…

Swiss Politics

Cabinet moots further easing of banking secrecy

This content was published on Sep 22, 2012 More than three years after Switzerland loosened banking secrecy in line with international standards, the cabinet on Friday decided to reform the criminal law on tax issues. Switzerland currently allows domestic authorities access to bank accounts only in cases of suspected fiscal fraud. However, tax evasion – when citizens fail to declare their income or…

Swiss Politics

Imposing a president on the people

This content was published on Sep 22, 2012 Righetti has already produced several books with portraits of dictators, among them Saparmurad Nijasow, the ruler of Turkmenistan, and Kim-Il-Sung, the ruler of North Korea. “I’m asked over and over why I’m interested in dictators. I’d say that power doesn’t exist without a bit of spectacle; and ultimately it’s the spectacle that interests me. My…

Swiss Politics

Swiss toughen rules for weapons sales

This content was published on Sep 21, 2012 The inquiry was prompted by reports in two Swiss newspapers in July that explosives manufactured by the Swiss state-owned Ruag company were used in the northern Syrian town of Marea. Results of the joint Swiss-UAE investigation, released on Friday, found that the grenades discovered in Syria were part of a shipment to the Emirates in 2003 and 2004. The…

Swiss Politics

Swiss “heroes” honoured in Washington

This content was published on Sep 21, 2012 The Swiss Soirée event was launched in 2001 to focus on “the creativity and innovation of the Swiss”, in the words of former ambassador to the United States Urs Ziswiler. It is also “an opportunity to reinforce the excellent image Switzerland has in this town as a hospitable country that offers high-quality products in a…

Swiss Politics

Assets found in Switzerland ‘a drop in the ocean’

This content was published on Sep 21, 2012 Some 18 months after Switzerland first froze Ben Ali entourage funds, it has yet to find assets belonging to the deposed leader himself.

Swiss Politics

Swiss hope to close Arab Spring cases in 2013

This content was published on Sep 21, 2012 A year and a half later, the deputy federal prosecutor with the Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Maria-Antonella Bino, says the cases remain a priority for her office, which hopes to finalise its investigations by the end of 2013. swissinfo.ch: Since the first government announcements of asset freezes early last year, have the amounts involved increased?…

Swiss Politics

Is Switzerland doing enough?

This content was published on Sep 21, 2012 But critiques argue these laws have not stopped certain Swiss banks from continuing to accept assets of dubious origins from politically exposed people (PEP). What do you think? Is the high amount returned by Switzerland simply because Swiss banks hold more illicit funds than others? Or are the Swiss being unfairly accused while other countries…

Swiss Abroad

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