Swiss Politics

Swiss-based Greeks alarmed by financial crisis

This content was published on Jul 3, 2011 In the week that the Greek parliament voted in more austerity measures to meet the terms of the EU-IMF bailout and street protests turned violent, the anger and frustration of the Greek public finds an echo in Swiss homes. With the stakes so high, Greeks have become armchair economists and political commentators. The ties, according…

Swiss Politics

Swiss consul general feels at home in Vancouver

This content was published on Jul 2, 2011 Strausak tells swissinfo.ch he is already starting to feel at home in the Canadian city set between the Strait of Georgia and snow-capped mountains – the low horn blasts of cruise ships departing from Vancouver’s waterfront remind him of alphorns. Strausak, who arrived in Vancouver in June, says he looks forward to serving for several…

Swiss Politics

Positions consolidated in election campaign

This content was published on Jul 1, 2011 Environmental policy matters are still high on the agenda in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Japan, but the impact on Swiss politics – known as very stable – has been limited and so far it is smaller groups that have benefited. The survey by the leading gfs.bern research and polling institute found the…

Swiss Politics

Man sentenced to 13 years in sex abuse case

This content was published on Jul 1, 2011 The district court in the southern town of Brig found the unidentified man guilty of multiple cases of attempted rape, rape, sexual abuse of children and other offences between 1996 and 2007. Authorities linked the 62-year-old to DNA found after one attack at the exclusive alpine boarding school Aiglon College in 2000. The court said…

Swiss Politics

Manhunt ends as killer convict turns himself in

This content was published on Jul 1, 2011 The 64-year-old handed himself in to police in Rasses in canton Vaud on Friday. The town is about 20km from the spot where he escaped from his minder five days earlier. Now back in police custody, he will be returned to Gorgier prison in Neuchâtel where he was serving a long sentence for murder, rape…

Swiss Politics

Seeking more open and innovative agriculture

This content was published on Jul 1, 2011 Bernard Lehmann, a professor of agricultural economics, has taken over one of the higher-profile government jobs on July 1 at the age of 57. He will have to convince one of parliament’s strongest lobbies that change and more open markets will be to everyone’s benefit. swissinfo.ch: What will be your priority as head of the…

Swiss Politics

Ticino toughens its stance over Italy tax spat

This content was published on Jun 30, 2011 The move is a way of putting pressure on the Swiss government to resolve an ongoing tax dispute with neighbouring Italy. More than half of the amount of money which should go to Italy – around SFr30 million ($36 million) – is to be frozen in a Swiss bank account. It will stay there until…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey welcomed in Bucharest

This content was published on Jun 30, 2011 The two-day trip marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bern and Bucharest. Calmy-Rey was welcomed by her Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu with military honours. At a media conference, Calmy-Rey was asked why the Swiss government was keeping quotas until May 2014 for Romanians wishing to work in Switzerland. As European Union member, Romania…

Swiss Politics

Rich set to pay more tax

This content was published on Jun 30, 2011 The move comes amid attacks against lump-sum taxation which have notably led to canton Zurich abolishing the practice in a public vote in 2009 and some cantons increasing their levies. Lump-sum taxes have been a feature in Switzerland since 1920, allowing cantons to ignore the wealth and income of wealthy foreign residents as long as…

Cabinet rules out new suicide legislation

This content was published on Jun 29, 2011 The decision is the latest step in a drawn-out public controversy over current regulations on the right to die and so-called ‘suicide tourism’ – people travelling to Switzerland to end their lives. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said the cabinet was convinced that abuses of the system could be tackled under the existing legislation. “Revising the…

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