Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
What is SBB not telling its passengers? Find out about this and other Swiss news from The Local's short roundup of latest events.
Government to "redistribute" Ukrainian refugees
Since the start of the war, many people who fled Ukraine have been staying with relatives or friends in Switzerland. Until now, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) allocated these people to cantons where they found refuge.
However, this system resulted in some cantons having a disproportionately high (in relation to local population) number of refugees. In order to redistribute them more evenly, the government will allocate new arrivals to cantons which, so far, have received proportionally fewer refugees than the high-volume ones. This system will be implemented even if Ukrainian arrivals have family and guaranteed lodgings in other cantons.
The reason for this move, authorities said, is that some cantons not only have to accommodate more people and enrol more children in local schools, “but they also have to assume more social assistance to ensure the subsistence of these people and provide more supervision services”.
With the exception of special cases (defined by the authorities), the refugees will have no say regarding the canton to which they will be allocated. That is a condition set by the government for receiving public aid.
The new allocation system will begin on Monday and continue until more proportional distribution is achieved.
READ MORE: Switzerland defends decision to place Ukrainian refugees in underground bunkers
Post-Covid phenomenon: Passengers ‘confused’ by masked train staff
Although masks are no longer required on public transportation in Switzerland, many Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) train inspectors continue to wear them nevertheless.
This causes confusion and suspicion among some commuters, who are wondering whether railway personnel is privy to pandemic-related information, while passengers are kept in the dark .
"Dear @RailService, it's nice to finally be able to look at mask-free faces again”, one commuter tweeted. “But your inspectors all wear masks. Do they know something your passengers don’t?"
Lieber @RailService,
Es ist schön, in überfüllten Osterzügen endlich wieder in maskenfreie Gesichter zu schauen, die sich auch beim Husten und Niesen weder hinter Hand noch Armbeuge verstecken!
Nur Eure Kontrolleure, die trugen alle Masken. Wissen die mehr als Eure Passagiere? pic.twitter.com/gROGry2kAK
— #SBBAirQuality (@SBBAirQuality) April 18, 2022
In response, company spokesperson Sabrina Schellenberg said SBB personnel has no secret Covid-related insight; they are free to wear masks if they want to, but are not obligated to so when travelling within Switzerland.
However, on international routes train staff must wear masks if the country they are travelling to or transiting still has this requirement in place.
Democracy at work, again: Appenzell’s Landsgemeinde returns on Sunday
After a two-year absence due to Covid, the old local tradition of open-air assembly where people vote by a show of hands is resuming in Appenzell Innerrhoden on Sunday.
Voters in the tiny canton in eastern Switzerland that has just over 16,000 inhabitants will weigh in on a variety of issues of regional importance, including funds for the renovation and expansion of a residence for the elderly, as well as for the construction of a cycle and pedestrian route.
Citizens will also have to accept or reject the merger of two districts, and a revision of the hunting law, which aims to better protect animals in winter.
Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus are the only cantons to maintain the Landsgemeinde, a 600-year-old tradition that takes place annually at the end of April.
Before the pandemic, the Landsgemeinde had never been canceled or postponed since 1850.
READ MORE: How Switzerland’s direct democracy system works
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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Government to "redistribute" Ukrainian refugees
Since the start of the war, many people who fled Ukraine have been staying with relatives or friends in Switzerland. Until now, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) allocated these people to cantons where they found refuge.
However, this system resulted in some cantons having a disproportionately high (in relation to local population) number of refugees. In order to redistribute them more evenly, the government will allocate new arrivals to cantons which, so far, have received proportionally fewer refugees than the high-volume ones. This system will be implemented even if Ukrainian arrivals have family and guaranteed lodgings in other cantons.
The reason for this move, authorities said, is that some cantons not only have to accommodate more people and enrol more children in local schools, “but they also have to assume more social assistance to ensure the subsistence of these people and provide more supervision services”.
With the exception of special cases (defined by the authorities), the refugees will have no say regarding the canton to which they will be allocated. That is a condition set by the government for receiving public aid.
The new allocation system will begin on Monday and continue until more proportional distribution is achieved.
READ MORE: Switzerland defends decision to place Ukrainian refugees in underground bunkers
Post-Covid phenomenon: Passengers ‘confused’ by masked train staff
Although masks are no longer required on public transportation in Switzerland, many Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) train inspectors continue to wear them nevertheless.
This causes confusion and suspicion among some commuters, who are wondering whether railway personnel is privy to pandemic-related information, while passengers are kept in the dark .
"Dear @RailService, it's nice to finally be able to look at mask-free faces again”, one commuter tweeted. “But your inspectors all wear masks. Do they know something your passengers don’t?"
Lieber @RailService,
— #SBBAirQuality (@SBBAirQuality) April 18, 2022
Es ist schön, in überfüllten Osterzügen endlich wieder in maskenfreie Gesichter zu schauen, die sich auch beim Husten und Niesen weder hinter Hand noch Armbeuge verstecken!
Nur Eure Kontrolleure, die trugen alle Masken. Wissen die mehr als Eure Passagiere? pic.twitter.com/gROGry2kAK
In response, company spokesperson Sabrina Schellenberg said SBB personnel has no secret Covid-related insight; they are free to wear masks if they want to, but are not obligated to so when travelling within Switzerland.
However, on international routes train staff must wear masks if the country they are travelling to or transiting still has this requirement in place.
Democracy at work, again: Appenzell’s Landsgemeinde returns on Sunday
After a two-year absence due to Covid, the old local tradition of open-air assembly where people vote by a show of hands is resuming in Appenzell Innerrhoden on Sunday.
Voters in the tiny canton in eastern Switzerland that has just over 16,000 inhabitants will weigh in on a variety of issues of regional importance, including funds for the renovation and expansion of a residence for the elderly, as well as for the construction of a cycle and pedestrian route.
Citizens will also have to accept or reject the merger of two districts, and a revision of the hunting law, which aims to better protect animals in winter.
Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus are the only cantons to maintain the Landsgemeinde, a 600-year-old tradition that takes place annually at the end of April.
Before the pandemic, the Landsgemeinde had never been canceled or postponed since 1850.
READ MORE: How Switzerland’s direct democracy system works
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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