The city of Basel is offering beggars travel vouchers to any destination in Europe in exchange for agreeing not to return.
The city’s immigration service is offering rail vouchers and CHF 20 to any beggar requesting it, according to 20 Minutes.
To get the voucher beggars must sign a written contract promising not to return to Switzerland for a certain period of time. If they are caught returning they risk being deported.
So far a total of 31 people have taken up the offer. 14 from Romania, 7 from Belgium, 7 from Germany, 2 from Italy and 1 from France.
According to the Basler Zeitung, the city has found CHF 60 flights to Bucarest for those from Romania.
Parts of Switzerland have shown little tolerance for beggars. In 2014, a woman begging on the streets of Geneva was fined CHF 500. Unable to pay the fine, the woman was placed in detention for 5 days. In 2016, the government of the Swiss canton of Vaud introduced a law banning begging across the canton.
More on this:
20 Minutes article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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Billy says
For those saying we must help the beggars, what percentage of your salary do you set aside to give to them and how many have you invited to stay in your own home?
Manuela Kauer says
This way of dealing with the needy population is absolutely unacceptable! There should be a better way to strengthen and give more dignity to beggars than sending them back to their or any European country after signing a contract to not come back and a mere 20 francs!
Paul Dodd says
Laws outlawing begging in a canton or city are probably illegal.
https://crd.org/2021/01/22/the-prohibition-on-begging-violates-human-rights-according-to-new-echr-ruling/
Joanne Warren says
I feel they should be deported. I was badly injured at the banhoff in basel by a gang of beggars because a would not give them money.. they are aggressive and frighten people especially those who are elderly or small in stature. I am terrified to go into basel these days.
Greg says
You’re terrifying to go to Basel Because of less fortunate will ask you for an assistant?
Taken Karen to another unnecessary level.
LV says
They intimidated and hurt her? That might be considered assault and battery.