Swiss Politics

Budget cuts eat into Swiss abroad magazine

This content was published on Dec 16, 2008 The move comes despite opposition by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), which represents more than 750 expatriate associations around the world. The magazine is presently published six times a year in the national languages – German, French and Italian – as well as in English and Spanish. It has a print run of…

Swiss Politics

Government defence spending approved

This content was published on Dec 16, 2008 Tuesday’s vote in the House of Representatives reversed the house’s earlier position, when the rightwing People’s Party joined the centre-left Socialist Party and the Greens in rejecting the programme. Under the programme, SFr404 million will be spent on modernising the F/A-18 fighter aircraft, and 396 million on troop transporters. Another 70 million is earmarked for…

Swiss Politics

Swiss still vacationing abroad despite downturn

This content was published on Dec 16, 2008 The Maldives, the Caribbean and Egypt are still popular choices for winter sunseekers, despite the global economic crisis. The most popular destinations would record growth in double-digit figures, said operator M-Travel Switzerland. But not everyone is heading to far-off destinations. The Hungarian capital, Budapest, regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, is proving…

Swiss Politics

Federal budget to help environmental schemes

This content was published on Dec 16, 2008 The 2009 budget foresees a surplus of SFr948 billion ($819 million). The House of Representatives on Tuesday followed the Senate in approving extra spending of about 120 million compared with the government draft budget, including a SFR340-million package to stave off the looming recession. Total expenditure for 2009 is set at SFr59.02 billion against SFr59.97…

Swiss Politics

Europe welcoming but wary of Swiss tax reform

This content was published on Dec 15, 2008 Nevertheless, he made it clear at a media conference after a meeting in Brussels with three Swiss government ministers that more needs to be done to satisfy the European Union over tax reform. The Swiss delegation to the talks was headed by Swiss president Pascal Couchepin, who was accompanied by Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz and…

Swiss Politics

New cabinet minister says he will not be neutral

This content was published on Dec 14, 2008 In an interview with the SonntagsZeitung newspaper, Maurer – a member of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party – said he would “take a close look” at any issues concerning Swiss neutrality. He also said he would try to initiate a debate within the cabinet about demographic change in Switzerland and the consequences for the country’s…

Swiss Politics

Trade union favours free movement treaty

This content was published on Dec 14, 2008 However, Unia delegates at a weekend meeting in Bern said that they expected the government to improve measures to prevent wage dumping. The extension of the free movement treaty will go to a nationwide vote on February 8. The Swiss Trade Union Federation is expected to announce its position on the vote on Monday. The…

Swiss Politics

“Switzerland could learn from Germany”

This content was published on Dec 14, 2008 In an interview with swissinfo following this week’s cabinet election, de Weck talks about the place of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party and the political future of its figurehead Christoph Blocher. Blocher was one of two official candidates put forward by the party, along with Ueli Maurer, to take over the cabinet seat of Defence…

Swiss Politics

EU issues warning over free movement

This content was published on Dec 13, 2008 In an interview on Saturday with the French-language newspapers, 24 Heures and Tribune de Genève, the EU ambassador, Michael Reiterer, reminded the Swiss of the “guillotine” clause in the accords. “There is no room for speculation or reason to play for time,” Reiterer said. However, the EU ambassador to Bern said he was confident the…

Swiss Politics

Bern to represent Russia in Georgia

This content was published on Dec 13, 2008 The decision is “proof of the trust the Russian government has placed in Switzerland,” Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said after talks in Moscow with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. Lavrov said he was thankful for the good services of Switzerland, and that the agreement would contribute to the normalisation of the situation in the region.…

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Swiss Politics

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Budget cuts eat into Swiss abroad magazine

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Government defence spending approved

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Swiss still vacationing abroad despite downturn

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Federal budget to help environmental schemes

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Europe welcoming but wary of Swiss tax reform

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New cabinet minister says he will not be neutral

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Trade union favours free movement treaty

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“Switzerland could learn from Germany”

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EU issues warning over free movement

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Bern to represent Russia in Georgia

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