Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
MPs debate the rearmament of Switzerland
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, a number of Swiss politicians and security experts are concerned about the country’s safety and readiness to defend itself.
“Switzerland has woken up from the dream of eternal peace,” said Dominik Knill, president of the Swiss Society of Officers. For security expert Niklas Mashur, Russia’s invasion will influence the debate on increasing defense preparedness and armament budgets.
Among the MPs, some are already calling for more military spending.
“The current situation in Eastern Europe shows that the increase in budget is absolutely necessary”, said Werner Salzmann, chairman of the parliamentary Security Policy Commission.
Another MP, Thomas Hurter, is also pushing not only for a higher budget, but more soldiers as well.
“The army is there to protect and defend the population against possible external attacks. This principle has been too neglected in recent years”, he said.
Fewer visas for Russian citizens
Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter spoke in favour of tightening conditions for visa eligibility for Russian citizens, favouring a more restrictive approach.
She said the Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is already in the process of investigating this issue and establishing how many visas had been granted to date to Russian natonals currently in Switzerland.
Swiss cantons come to Ukraine’s aid
Residents of several cantons are preparing to send essential goods for Ukrainians seeking refuge at the Polish border.
"Our goal is to be on site with relief supplies as quickly as possible," said Jörg Köhler, head of the Office for Military and Civil Defense of the canton of St. Gallen who will be shipping blankets, mattresses and other material to the border.
In the Basel region, volunteers are loading three vehicles with relief supplies.“People are dying practically on our doorstep. We have to help”, they explained.
In Bern too volunteers are gathering necessities in an effort coordinated together with the Ukrainian embassy. "We expect to be at the border in 15 to 20 hours and hand over the goods to local helpers who will ensure onward transport to Ukraine."
Medical material, baby food, hygiene articles and diapers are currently in demand. But power banks and flashlights are also needed because of the many power outages.
READ MORE: How Switzerland reacted to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Sunrise and SBB also step in to help Ukrainians
Two Swiss companies have also decided to do their part for Ukrainian citizens.
Telecommunications company Sunrise UPC announced it is waiving the costs of calls to and from Ukraine on its network, while Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are offering free long-distance train journeys to Ukrainian refugees.
Both offers are effective immediately and will remain valid until further notice.
SBB will allow people who have fled Ukraine to travel from the border to a certain destination in Switzerland or to cross the country by train. This move is in line with the decision of the Federal Council and in agreement with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the company said.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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MPs debate the rearmament of Switzerland
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, a number of Swiss politicians and security experts are concerned about the country’s safety and readiness to defend itself.
“Switzerland has woken up from the dream of eternal peace,” said Dominik Knill, president of the Swiss Society of Officers. For security expert Niklas Mashur, Russia’s invasion will influence the debate on increasing defense preparedness and armament budgets.
Among the MPs, some are already calling for more military spending.
“The current situation in Eastern Europe shows that the increase in budget is absolutely necessary”, said Werner Salzmann, chairman of the parliamentary Security Policy Commission.
Another MP, Thomas Hurter, is also pushing not only for a higher budget, but more soldiers as well.
“The army is there to protect and defend the population against possible external attacks. This principle has been too neglected in recent years”, he said.
Fewer visas for Russian citizens
Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter spoke in favour of tightening conditions for visa eligibility for Russian citizens, favouring a more restrictive approach.
She said the Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is already in the process of investigating this issue and establishing how many visas had been granted to date to Russian natonals currently in Switzerland.
Swiss cantons come to Ukraine’s aid
Residents of several cantons are preparing to send essential goods for Ukrainians seeking refuge at the Polish border.
"Our goal is to be on site with relief supplies as quickly as possible," said Jörg Köhler, head of the Office for Military and Civil Defense of the canton of St. Gallen who will be shipping blankets, mattresses and other material to the border.
In the Basel region, volunteers are loading three vehicles with relief supplies.“People are dying practically on our doorstep. We have to help”, they explained.
In Bern too volunteers are gathering necessities in an effort coordinated together with the Ukrainian embassy. "We expect to be at the border in 15 to 20 hours and hand over the goods to local helpers who will ensure onward transport to Ukraine."
Medical material, baby food, hygiene articles and diapers are currently in demand. But power banks and flashlights are also needed because of the many power outages.
READ MORE: How Switzerland reacted to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Sunrise and SBB also step in to help Ukrainians
Two Swiss companies have also decided to do their part for Ukrainian citizens.
Telecommunications company Sunrise UPC announced it is waiving the costs of calls to and from Ukraine on its network, while Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are offering free long-distance train journeys to Ukrainian refugees.
Both offers are effective immediately and will remain valid until further notice.
SBB will allow people who have fled Ukraine to travel from the border to a certain destination in Switzerland or to cross the country by train. This move is in line with the decision of the Federal Council and in agreement with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the company said.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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