Swiss Politics

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei “released”

This content was published on Jun 22, 2011 The official news agency said on Wednesday that Ai’s poor health was also a factor in his release after two months and 19 days. Ai, one of China’s most internationally known artists, helped design the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing. Famed for his irreverence toward authority, he was picked up at Beijing’s airport…

Swiss Politics

Strong Swiss franc causes concern

This content was published on Jun 22, 2011 Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann said preparations were underway to extend allowances to compensate for temporary salary cuts and to speed up the purchase of new fighter jets – triggering business deals with foreign companies in return. The cabinet on Wednesday also eased access for small and medium-sized companies to funds for research and development projects.…

Swiss Politics

Cabinet sets conditions for child abuse law

This content was published on Jun 22, 2011 The move is in response to a November 2008 vote when 52 per cent of voters accepted a people’s initiative to remove the prosecution time limit against paedophile criminals. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said the government decided to increase the age limit for victims from 10 to 12 following recommendations by doctors’ organisations. The cabinet…

Swiss Politics

Zurich to get a Grand Casino next year

This content was published on Jun 22, 2011 Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said the cabinet chose a project with an unrestricted licence from among five applications in Zurich. A project for a casino with a restricted licence in the town of Neuchâtel was also approved. Sommaruga said both projects fulfilled all the necessary criteria, including quality management, capital, security, anti-money laundering and social…

Swiss Politics

Cabinet gives green light for expat e-vote

This content was published on Jun 22, 2011 Cabinet approved requests from four pioneering cantons – Basel City, St Gallen, Graubünden and Aargau – on Wednesday. In total these expat voters account for 0.4 per cent of the Swiss electorate. It is the first time that ongoing trials with e-voting are being extended to federal elections, according to the Federal Chancellery. To date…

Swiss Politics

Activists step up campaign to ban seal products

This content was published on Jun 21, 2011 The Swiss non-profit Franz Weber Foundation and the Ocean Care organisation collected over 97,000 signatures in a petition backing an embargo on Canadian seal products that have been hunted commercially. A similar ban was imposed by the European Union in 2010. Before delivering the boxes of petition signatures to parliament, Vera Weber, the young face…

Swiss Politics

Swiss réduit reduced yet further

This content was published on Jun 21, 2011 The fortress artillery battalion will be disbanded. Those members who are still liable for military service will be allocated elsewhere. The dissolution of the battalion is part of the plan announced last October by Defence Minister Ueli Maurer to close down the bunker system. He acknowledged at the time that closing the bunkers “would be…

Swiss Politics

Major Indian deal rumoured for Pilatus

This content was published on Jun 21, 2011 According to the German-language tabloid Blick on Tuesday, the deal will be announced at the Paris Air Show which started this week. It was already known that Pilatus was bidding for the contract. At the end of February chairman Oscar J. Schwenk said a deal of such a size “only comes along every 20 years”.…

Swiss Politics

Foreigners find holiday home loopholes

This content was published on Jun 21, 2011 Media headlines spoke last week of unscrupulous local lawyers colluding with Russians and Chinese to illegally snap up prime villas. Immigration, and its effect on society, is currently a big theme in Switzerland. The debate has been gathering momentum since Switzerland opened its borders to European Union workers in 2002. More than one of every…

Swiss Politics

Party funding to remain shrouded in mystery

This content was published on Jun 21, 2011 Nothing is going to change very soon, according to a political scientist, despite fresh efforts and recent publications on the issue. A report published by the weekly Hebdo magazine earlier this year saw the rightwing Swiss People’s Party leading the funding table, with spending of about SFr35 million ($41.2 million) on newspaper advertisements and billboard…

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