When Geneva’s finances make the news it is typically bad. At the end of 2016, the canton had debts of CHF 12.5 billion, equal to 153% of its income. In January 2018, the rating agency Standard and Poors gave Geneva a negative outlook citing risks related to the canton’s poorly funded public pension scheme. This […]
Tariq Ramadan – new testimony undermines alibi
This week, things took a turn for the worse for Tariq Ramadan. According to a report by Swiss broadcaster RTS, a witness contradicted an alibi given by the Swiss muslim academic. One of his accusers claims she was raped in Lyon during the afternoon of 9 October 2009. In opposition to this claim, Tariq Ramadan’s […]
Geneva’s mega apartment project now underway – 1,000 apartments and 2,500 jobs
Last week, work started on a project to construct 1,000 apartments in Geneva. The project known as the Quartier de l’Etang will unfold over an 11 hectare site in Vernier, not far from Geneva airport. The video above shows the commencement ceremony and a computer animation of the completed project. The man behind it, Claude […]
Zurich and Geneva in top 10 most expensive cities
According to the Worldwide Cost of Living 2018 survey published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. Zurich and Geneva however are hot on its tail ranking 2rd and 6th respectively. Zurich is the most expensive in Europe in second position alongside Paris. The survey compares more than 400 individual […]
Geneva wants to limit Airbnb rentals to 60 days a year
The canton wants the platform to place limits on its use to put the brakes on commercial operators. The 60 day limit was set by Geneva’s State Council. Antonio Hodgers, State councillor in charge of housing told Tribune de Genève that renting on the platform had become a real business for some and that this […]
Driverless buses spotted in Geneva
Last Friday two driverless vehicles painted with the TPG’s logo, the acronym for Geneva’s public transport, were spotted at Palexpo, the location of the Geneva International Motor Show. Le Salon de l’auto en mode autonome ! Profitez de votre visite au Salon pour peut-être avoir l’occasion de monter à bord du véhicule autonome des tpg […]
Geneva – investigators now actively hunting for welfare fraudsters and tax cheats
The team, which has been operating since the beginning of March, is hunting for people on welfare who might be working or have undeclared assets, according to 20 Minutes. In addition, it is looking for those living in the canton but pretending to live somewhere else like Monaco, Dubai or another Swiss canton. Last year […]
Drone-snatching eagles could grace the skies of Geneva this year
Two months ago Geneva Police acquired two eagle eggs, which both successfully hatched, according to Tribune de Genève. The video above shows an eagle in training in the Netherlands two years ago. The French army has also been using the birds to capture drones. They can only be used on small drones. The French military […]
Home bag collection and check in now available for passengers flying on Swiss
Passengers travelling internationally from Geneva and Zurich airports on Swiss and Edelweiss can wave goodbye to their bags at home and collect them at their destination. The service, run in partnership with Swiss Rail, must be ordered the day before departure. Each bag costs CHF 22 on top of a base collection fee of CHF […]
Geneva – new initiative to curb cross-border workers
The Mouvement Citoyens Genevois (MCG) wants employers to show that they cannot find a local candidate before employing a foreign national living in a border country, in Geneva’s case mainly France. Supplementing the article in Switzerland’s federal constitution on mass immigration, the initiative dubbed “Frontaliers : stop!” will require employers to show that there are […]
