Swiss Politics

Conservative Swiss party wants ratification of Swiss-EU accords

This content was published on Oct 7, 1999 The People’s Party, one of the four parties represented in the Swiss government, on Thursday came out in support of Switzerland’s bilateral accords with the European Union and said there should be no referendum on the issue. The party’s parliamentary committee, which is a key policy-making body,said the party should fully support the accords in…

Swiss Politics

National exhibition organisers pledge to plough ahead

This content was published on Oct 6, 1999 Three prominent leaders of Switzerland’s troubled national exhibition said they would plough on and try to implement the government’s “draconian” reforms, which are aimed at saving the crisis-ridden project. Announcing their decision at a nationally televised news conference Wednesday, management board members Francis Matthey, Nelly Wenger (left) and Martin Heller (right) said it would be…

Swiss Politics

Senate ducks controversial religious issue

This content was published on Oct 5, 1999

Swiss Politics

More asylum seekers leave Switzerland than enter country

This content was published on Oct 5, 1999 The Swiss authorities said Tuesday that, for the first time in years, more asylum seekers have left Switzerland than entered the country. The Federal Refugee Office said the figures for the month of September were mainly due to a federal repatriation programme, which grants financial and material support for those Kosovar refugees who decide to…

Swiss Politics

Swiss government to come clean on troubled Expo.01

This content was published on Oct 4, 1999 After months of negative media headlines, resignations and dwindling public confidence, the Swiss government is expected to pass its verdict on the troubled national exhibition, known as Expo.01, later Monday. Politicians, Swiss industry and many ordinary people are wondering whether the government will call for Expo.01 to go ahead as planned and open in 2001,…

Swiss Politics

New asylum legislation comes into force

This content was published on Oct 1, 1999 Switzerland’s new asylum laws have now come into force: Refugees fleeing wars and armed conflicts can enter the country without having to go through the whole asylum seeker process but must leave if the situation back home has normalised. Parallel to the new laws, several regulations also took effect Friday. Among them are a slight…

Swiss Politics

Schröder visit cancelled

This content was published on Oct 1, 1999 German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s planned visit to Switzerland was cancelled Friday, only a few hours before he was due to arrive for talks that would have been dominated by the issue of European integration. A Swiss government spokeswoman confirmed the cancellation and said there had been technical problems with Schröder’s aircraft. The chancellor was due…

EU integration tops Swiss president’s talks in Finland

This content was published on Sep 30, 1999 Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss Thursday met Finland’s head of state Martti Ahtisaari in Helsinki for talks dominated by the key issues of European integration and regional security policy. The talks on European integration take on added significance for Switzerland as Finland holds the rotating presidency of the EU and because the Swiss parliament is scheduled…

Swiss Politics

Defence ministry presents civil protection reforms

This content was published on Sep 27, 1999 The Swiss Defence Ministry has presented draft reform proposals under which all emergency management aspects of civil protection would be put under the umbrella control of the individual cantons, rather than the federal government. The ministry submitted the proposals to the cantons and all interested parties on Monday. Comments on the reforms can be presented…

Swiss Politics

Parliament chambers narrow differences over wage dumping

This content was published on Sep 23, 1999 The Swiss House of Representatives and the Senate are fast approaching agreement on some key accompanying measures to the bilateral accords signed by Switzerland and the European Union earlier this year. The sensitive political and economic accords were signed in June but still have to be ratified by the Swiss parliament as well as those…

Swiss Politics

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