Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Switzerland is pressured to ban Hamas after the group's attack on Israel; one canton lowers its income tax rate; and other news in our Wednesday roundup.
MPs demand that Switzerland bans Hamas
Even though Swiss government has condemned Saturday’s attack on Israel, it has abstained from referring to the Palestinian militant group responsible for the act as 'terrorist,’ or to ban it the same way as other extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS).
However, on Tuesday the security committee of the National Council unanimously approved a motion demanding that the government bans Hamas.
"Its massive attacks against Israel show that Hamas can only be described as a brutal terrorist organisation,” the commission wrote. “It is now high time for the Federal Council and parliament to take a clear position on this subject."
The Federal Council will discuss this issue today.
READ ALSO: Why does Switzerland refuse to call Hamas a 'terrorist’ organisation?
And on the same topic…
Switzerland contacted Hamas to demand the release of hostages
Swiss media reported on Tuesday that taking advantage of their open communication channels with the Palestinian group, Swiss diplomats held talks with Hamas for the release of more than 100 hostages kidnapped after the organisation attacked Israel on Saturday.
“Switzerland immediately contacted Hamas representatives to ask them to end the violence and immediately release the hostages,” said Maya Tissafi, head of Switzerland's hastily-assembled crisis task force.
The results of this diplomatic intervention are yet to be seen.
Vaud income tax will decrease by 3.5 percent
After being under debate for a while, it is now final: Vaud taxpayers will see their cantonal income tax, one of the highest in the country, fall by 3.5 percent from 2024.
While this is good news for the taxpayers, it is less positive for cantonal finances, as less tax revenue will mean a loss of around 105 million francs each year.
Swiss passengers on German trains are being ‘ripped off’
Deutsche Bahn's (DB) ICE trains travel daily to Switzerland, via Basel to Zurich, and beyond.
Passengers travelling on those trains report being “ripped off” on the Swiss side of the border, according to media reports.
That’s because prices in the train’s restaurant become 20 percent higher as soon as the train crosses the border into Switzerland.
Not only are customers expected to pay in francs rather than euros, but the DB uses a conversion rate from 2015 — that is,1.20 francs for 1 euro, instead of the current rate of 0.96 francs for 1 euro.
“This practice is a real shame,” said Alex von Hettlingen, a spokesperson for a Swiss consumer group. "It is obvious that DB is profiting from Swiss customers."
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 demand that Switzerland bans Hamas
Even though Swiss government has condemned Saturday’s attack on Israel, it has abstained from referring to the Palestinian militant group responsible for the act as 'terrorist,’ or to ban it the same way as other extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS).
However, on Tuesday the security committee of the National Council unanimously approved a motion demanding that the government bans Hamas.
"Its massive attacks against Israel show that Hamas can only be described as a brutal terrorist organisation,” the commission wrote. “It is now high time for the Federal Council and parliament to take a clear position on this subject."
The Federal Council will discuss this issue today.
READ ALSO: Why does Switzerland refuse to call Hamas a 'terrorist’ organisation?
And on the same topic…
Switzerland contacted Hamas to demand the release of hostages
Swiss media reported on Tuesday that taking advantage of their open communication channels with the Palestinian group, Swiss diplomats held talks with Hamas for the release of more than 100 hostages kidnapped after the organisation attacked Israel on Saturday.
“Switzerland immediately contacted Hamas representatives to ask them to end the violence and immediately release the hostages,” said Maya Tissafi, head of Switzerland's hastily-assembled crisis task force.
The results of this diplomatic intervention are yet to be seen.
Vaud income tax will decrease by 3.5 percent
After being under debate for a while, it is now final: Vaud taxpayers will see their cantonal income tax, one of the highest in the country, fall by 3.5 percent from 2024.
While this is good news for the taxpayers, it is less positive for cantonal finances, as less tax revenue will mean a loss of around 105 million francs each year.
Swiss passengers on German trains are being ‘ripped off’
Deutsche Bahn's (DB) ICE trains travel daily to Switzerland, via Basel to Zurich, and beyond.
Passengers travelling on those trains report being “ripped off” on the Swiss side of the border, according to media reports.
That’s because prices in the train’s restaurant become 20 percent higher as soon as the train crosses the border into Switzerland.
Not only are customers expected to pay in francs rather than euros, but the DB uses a conversion rate from 2015 — that is,1.20 francs for 1 euro, instead of the current rate of 0.96 francs for 1 euro.
“This practice is a real shame,” said Alex von Hettlingen, a spokesperson for a Swiss consumer group. "It is obvious that DB is profiting from Swiss customers."
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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