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Swiss Politics

New Austrian chancellor may be coming to Switzerland

This content was published on Feb 9, 2000 The Austrian Chancellor, Wolfgang Schüssel (pictured), is intending to stick to a tradition whereby the heads of a new government come to Switzerland as their first foreign destination. The proposed visit could provoke controversy. A spokesman for the Chancellor in Vienna said it would be good if the tradition could be maintained as a sign…

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Swiss parliamentarians discuss EU bilateral treaty in Brussels

This content was published on Feb 9, 2000 Swiss parliamentarians, including Christine Beerli (pictured), have held talks in Brussels with members of the European Parliament on the ratification of Switzerland’s bilateral treaty with the EU. After the meeting, the Swiss delegation, headed by Beerli, a leading member of the Radical Party, said they had explained the political process the treaty has to undergo…

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Swiss parliamentarians discuss EU bilateral treaty in Brussels

This content was published on Feb 8, 2000 Representatives of the Swiss and European parliaments are meeting today to discuss ratification of Switzerland’s bilateral treaty with the European Union. Six Swiss parliamentarians, headed by a leading member of the Radical Party, Christine Beerli, are holding talks with members of the European Parliament in Brussels. The delegation will be stressing the importance of the…

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Young Swiss change into army uniforms

This content was published on Feb 7, 2000 More than 10,000 young people have begun their basic training courses in the Swiss militia army.Over the next 15 weeks they will be given training in one of over 40 different centres around the country. As of this Monday, more than 10,500 young people have joined the Swiss army to do their basic training courses…

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Rwandan asylum-seekers face repatriation

This content was published on Feb 7, 2000 Refugees from Rwanda whose requests for asylum in Switzerland have been rejected can now be sent home. The federal refugee office said it had changed its policy after re-evaluating the situation in Rwanda. It said 160 people were affected by the decision. So far, Rwandan refugees whose case had been dismissed, have been allowed to…

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Deiss says bilateral accords with EU under threat

This content was published on Feb 6, 2000 The foreign minister, Joseph Deiss, has expressed concern that the row between Austria and the European Union could taint the debate over the bilateral treaty between Switzerland and the EU. His comments came just days after two small right-wing parties collected enough signatures to force a referendum on the treaty later this year. The Swiss…

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Dreifuss attacks new Austrian government

This content was published on Feb 5, 2000 The interior minister, Ruth Dreifuss, has attacked the formation of the new government in Austria as a cynical game played by power-hungry politicians. Her comments came one day after the swearing-in of a new Austrian government that includes the far-right Freedom Party. Dreifuss said in an interview on Swiss-German radio that the cynicism shown by…

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Switzerland calls on Austria to maintain policy of tolerance

This content was published on Feb 4, 2000 The Swiss government has called on the new coalition in Austria to ensure tolerance towards all sectors of society. The cabinet said it was watching the situation in Vienna closely. In a statement, the cabinet said it was confident that Switzerland’s traditionally good relations with Austria would continue, despite the inclusion of the far-right Freedom…

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Denner initiative goes to heart of Swiss popular democracy

This content was published on Feb 3, 2000 The supermarket chain, Denner, has launched a people’s initiative aimed at speeding up the initiative process. The move highlights the difficulties in Switzerland’s much-cherished and much-abused system of popular democracy. The signatures of 100,000 Swiss voters are enough to force a national referendum on removing or adding a new article to the constitution. This basic…

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Right-wingers force vote on bilateral treaty with European Union

This content was published on Feb 3, 2000 Two small right-wing parties in Switzerland have formally challenged the bilateral treaty with the European Union, forcing a nationwide vote on the issue later this year. The parties, the Swiss Democrats and the Lega dei Ticinese, say they handed in some 70,000 signatures at the federal chancellery in Berne. If 50,000 of those signatures are…

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