Big spenders – buying drones, votes and art
Here are the top stories we’re following in the week of June 15, 2015:
Monday
The rising number of asylum seekers is up for discussion as parliament gears up this week. Lawmaker will consider reforms like those in the Netherlands with the aim of reducing the average time it takes to process asylum applications from nearly two years down to several months.
Tuesday
What to do when the voting public won’t let you buy Swedish fighter jets? Look to the Israelis for drones, apparently. Parliament will debate whether to spend CHF250 million to renew the Swiss fleet of army intelligence-gathering surveillance drones (not armed drones!) with six Israeli-made models controversially tested in the conflict with Palestinians.
Wednesday
Plans to grant the intelligence service greater powers are up for debate in the Senate on Wednesday. Federal agents would be able to tap phone lines and the internet as well as bug private apartments to prevent terror attacks and spying, but opponents warn it could infringe on civil rights.
Political party financing is of increasing concern with the upcoming parliamentary elections in October expected to be the most costly ever. Despite the fact that parties are not required to open up their books, swissinfo.ch will reveal what most are spending on this year’s election campaign.
Thursday
Bankers, traders and everyone else following the strong Swiss franc will all be tuned to the first official news conference on Thursday by the Swiss National Bank since its controversial decision in January to drop the euro peg.
The 46th Art Basel kicks off. This year, the world’s biggest art fair aims to keep a local focus – more than half the exhibitors are from Europe – but still reflect the increasingly globalised art market.
Friday
No week would be complete these days without some FIFA watching: Will Sepp Blatter step down sooner? How will the tainted organisation reform itself? What more upheaval can we expect from the US and Swiss corruption probes?
What you may have missed last week:
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