Swiss Politics

Swiss freeze CHF170 million in Ukrainian funds

This content was published on May 6, 2014 The Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on Tuesday the amount of the confiscated funds held in Swiss bank accounts. Two of Yanukovych’s sons as well as former Ukrainian government ministers and their families have been targeted by the measures. The office in March opened five investigations against people suspected of money laundering. A separate probe against…

Swiss Politics

Controls of pay levels deemed successful

This content was published on May 5, 2014 The overall number of suspected abuses and actual cases of wage dumping, where standard local salaries are undercut with cheaper alternative labour, have declined as a result of changes to the law and improved checks, SECO said in a statement published on Monday. More than 40,000 companies and 158,000 workers, notably in construction and the…

Swiss Politics

Foreign spies, violent extremists are priority

This content was published on May 5, 2014 While Switzerland is not a primary target of jihadist attacks, Swiss citizens in conflict zones in Islamic countries are exposed to an increased risk of abduction. They could also become victims of jihadist violence or terrorist attacks, the FIS said in its 2014 annual report. The numbers of jihadist travellers from Europe, particularly to Syria,…

Swiss Politics

Change is in the air for island of prosperity

This content was published on May 5, 2014 In late February, two weeks after Switzerland voted to limit the number of immigrants it accepts from the EU, the country’s flag made an unexpected appearance in the European parliament in Strasbourg. As politicians debated the Swiss poll, Mario Borghezio, a far-right Italian delegate, barrelled his way on to the chamber’s floor, brandished the distinctive…

Swiss Politics

Burkhalter to meet Putin on Ukraine

This content was published on May 5, 2014 Burkhalter will meet Putin on Wednesday in Moscow to discuss diplomatic means to stop the violence in Ukraine. The OSCE is convinced that efforts to implement the Geneva agreement must be strengthened and that the top meeting on May 7 is part of that strategy. The meeting was the main subject of a telephone conversation…

Swiss Politics

Sparks fly in EU immigration debate

This content was published on May 4, 2014 February’s initiative allows the government three years to negotiate changes to the EU bilateral agreement that allows the free movement of persons to Switzerland. But the rightwing People’s Party, that was behind the initiative, said the government has already given secret assurances to the EU. People’s Party strongman Christoph Blocher told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper that…

Swiss Politics

Burkhalter applauds OSCE hostage release

This content was published on May 3, 2014 Burkhalter, who is also president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), reiterated that the situation in Ukraine is likely to deteriorate further as government troops continued to clash with protesters in the east of the country. The seven OSCE military observers – four Germans, a Dane, a Pole and a Czech…

Swiss Politics

The great wage debate

This content was published on May 3, 2014

Swiss expect ‘fairness’ in US tax dispute

This content was published on May 3, 2014 The two met in Washington on Friday to discuss how to move forward in the dispute. A finance ministry statement said Switzerland expects the US to act “in accordance with the principle of proportionality in order to prevent Swiss banks from being treated worse than other banks.” The statement added that talks focused on clearing…

Swiss Politics

Kurdish brothers sentenced for online terrorism links

This content was published on May 2, 2014 Following a trial at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, a 35-year-old Kurd from Iraq was sentenced on Friday to three years and three months behind bars. His younger brother received a two-year suspended sentence. The pre-trial custody period of around one year was taken into account in the sentencing. During the court proceedings it…

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