Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Swiss airline cancels Friday flights amid strike in Italy, Bern to provide free period products in public buildings, and other news from Switzerland on Friday.
Swiss cancels Friday flights to and from Italy
Four major unions in Italy have called for a nationwide general strike to take place today.
The strike is a protest measure against planned labour market reforms and austerity measures by the Italian government, and will mainly affect public transport, airports, and highways.
Switzerland’s chief airline, Swiss International Air Lines, has cancelled a total of 20 flights to and from Milan, Venice, Naples, Florence and Bologna.
However, some flights are still expected to go ahead during individual time slots at the airports affected by the strike.
Swiss media spokesman Michael Pelzer told 20 Minuten that “the flights to Rome, Brindisi, Bari and Palermo will generally operate normally and are unlikely to be affected by the strike.”
Passengers affected by the strike will be contacted by the airline and rebooked accordingly.
Meanwhile, the SBB told the newspaper that there are no known effects on cross-border train routes to Milan or Venice as of now.
Bern votes in favour of free period products in public buildings
Period products will soon be available for free in the city of Bern’s public buildings after the local council, which was initially against the move, passed the motion with 47 votes to 9.
By next March, the hygiene products – which can cost women anywhere from 10 to 15 Swiss francs per month - will be available in Bern’s schools and their gyms in a first step before eventually being offered for free in all public toilets.
The motion was brought forward by the Young Socialists Switzerland who argued that having hygiene products readily available in public buildings would relieve women’s stress and help remove taboos around periods, the Berner Zeitung writes.
The opposing votes came from the centre-right camp and largely from the Swiss People's Party, though no opponent of the motion spoke in the debate.
A similar request, then proposed by the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, had failed at a cantonal level in March 2020.
Switzerland has no plans to tighten controls on Italy border
Switzerland has no plans to tighten its border checks with Italy, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider said on Thursday on the sidelines of the EU Interior Ministers meeting in Luxembourg.
Earlier this week, Germany announced it will be temporarily tightening border controls at its borders with Switzerland to reduce irregular migration flows.
However, though Baume-Schneider said the understands Germany’s decision, she does not currently see a need for Switzerland to follow suit particularly as Ticino and Basel are border areas with close economic ties.
Switzerland has already increased the number of personnel in its border guard corps and Baume-Schneider said that selective border controls are currently sufficient.
Baume-Schneider's words are likely to cause a divide in parliament amid the public’s calls for stricter border controls to increase Switzerland’s security.
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Swiss cancels Friday flights to and from Italy
Four major unions in Italy have called for a nationwide general strike to take place today.
The strike is a protest measure against planned labour market reforms and austerity measures by the Italian government, and will mainly affect public transport, airports, and highways.
Switzerland’s chief airline, Swiss International Air Lines, has cancelled a total of 20 flights to and from Milan, Venice, Naples, Florence and Bologna.
However, some flights are still expected to go ahead during individual time slots at the airports affected by the strike.
Swiss media spokesman Michael Pelzer told 20 Minuten that “the flights to Rome, Brindisi, Bari and Palermo will generally operate normally and are unlikely to be affected by the strike.”
Passengers affected by the strike will be contacted by the airline and rebooked accordingly.
Meanwhile, the SBB told the newspaper that there are no known effects on cross-border train routes to Milan or Venice as of now.
Bern votes in favour of free period products in public buildings
Period products will soon be available for free in the city of Bern’s public buildings after the local council, which was initially against the move, passed the motion with 47 votes to 9.
By next March, the hygiene products – which can cost women anywhere from 10 to 15 Swiss francs per month - will be available in Bern’s schools and their gyms in a first step before eventually being offered for free in all public toilets.
The motion was brought forward by the Young Socialists Switzerland who argued that having hygiene products readily available in public buildings would relieve women’s stress and help remove taboos around periods, the Berner Zeitung writes.
The opposing votes came from the centre-right camp and largely from the Swiss People's Party, though no opponent of the motion spoke in the debate.
A similar request, then proposed by the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, had failed at a cantonal level in March 2020.
Switzerland has no plans to tighten controls on Italy border
Switzerland has no plans to tighten its border checks with Italy, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider said on Thursday on the sidelines of the EU Interior Ministers meeting in Luxembourg.
Earlier this week, Germany announced it will be temporarily tightening border controls at its borders with Switzerland to reduce irregular migration flows.
However, though Baume-Schneider said the understands Germany’s decision, she does not currently see a need for Switzerland to follow suit particularly as Ticino and Basel are border areas with close economic ties.
Switzerland has already increased the number of personnel in its border guard corps and Baume-Schneider said that selective border controls are currently sufficient.
Baume-Schneider's words are likely to cause a divide in parliament amid the public’s calls for stricter border controls to increase Switzerland’s security.
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