A survey found that the Swiss pay far more for concert tickets that their European neighbours. And the differences are significant, with Swiss price premiums ranging from 40% to 77% depending on the performer, reports RTS. According to Bon à Savoir, the consumer association behind the survey, there are many examples of inflated Swiss concert […]
Finance minister thinks Switzerland needs to cut public spending
Ueli Maurer, Switzerland’s finance minister, is concerned about Switzerland’s finances after a recent round of decisions to substantially increase public spending. During June 2022, Switzerland’s parliament agreed to significant increases to spending on the army, healthcare and the environment. The situation is not sustainable Maurer told SRF. In June, parliament agreed to boost military spending […]
Swiss parliamentarian calls for cuts on marketing to distant tourists
Christophe Clivaz, a parliamentarian from the Green Party in Valais is demanding that subsidies given to Swiss Tourism not be used to promote tourism that involves flying, reported 20 Minutes. Switzerland is busy developing sustainable tourism under the brand Swisstainable. However, when tourism booms aviation booms with it. So how can tourism be sustainable? asks […]
Enormous Swiss water battery to start operating next week
A water battery that can store up to 20 million kWh of electricity constructed in the Swiss canton of Valais is scheduled to start operating on 1 July 2022, announced the company Nant de Drance SA this week. The Nant de Drance power plant is a pumped storage power plant in a subterranean cavern located […]
Cannabis far easier to prescribe in Switzerland from 1 August
From 1 August 2022, doctors in Switzerland will be able to prescribe cannabis without the need for authorisation, announced the Federal Council on 22 June 2022, reported RTS. The introduction of the change, which allows cannabis to be prescribed for medical reasons without the authorisation of the federal health authorities, follows updates to Switzerland’s drug […]
Switzerland’s underground freight project gets start date
This week, a project to build an underground freight tunnel network stretching from Geneva to St Gallen, was given a start date of 1 August 2022 by the Federal Council, reported RTS. The Cargo sous terrain (CST) project will connect Switzerland’s key hubs starting in 2031. CST aims to take the strain off the road […]
Higher federal tax deductions for health insurance announced
The cost of Swiss health insurance has risen sharply over the years. However, the amount that can be deducted from income to calculate federal taxes has remained comparatively low. This week, Switzerland’s parliament voted in favour of closing the gap between the standardised health insurance tax deductions and what people actually pay, reported RTS. The […]
Two arrested in Germany for suspected explosive attack in Switzerland
Two Swiss citizens have been arrested in Germany after the German authorities strongly suspected they wanted to buy explosives to attack a large town in Switzerland, reported RTS. The suspected plan involved two Swiss citizens buying explosives in Stuttgart for a crime planned in a large Swiss town, announced the police and prosecutor of the […]
FIFA: Blatter and Platini get 20-month prison sentences
On 15 June 2022, Switzerland’s public prosecutor issued Sepp Blatter (86) and Michel Platini (66) with 20-month suspended prison sentences in connection with accusations of fraud against the football organisation FIFA, reported RTS. The week before, the two defendants had rejected all of the accusations, which included the improper transfer of CHF 2 million from […]
Psychotherapy to be covered by basic Swiss health insurance
From 1 July 2022, psychotherapy provided by trained psychologists will be reimbursed under Switzerland’s basic compulsory health insurance, reported RTS. To qualify for reimbursement the service will need to be prescribed by a doctor and meet certain conditions. Prices for the service have not been set. The federal government and cantons still need to work […]
